asked the Minister for Health when moneys were allocated for the planning stage for the extension to St. Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick; whether sanction has been requested for such plans; and, if so, when.
22.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Limerick Hospitals.
21.
asked the Minister for Health if he has selected his project team for the 200-bed extension to St. Joseph's Mental Hospital, Limerick; and when they will go to Limerick to finalise arrangements for this long overdue extension.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
Moneys were allocated in 1978 for the planning of new units comprising 200 beds to replace existing accommodation at St. Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick. Advanced planning documents were submitted to the Department on 21 January 1980 but because of the constraints on public capital expenditure it was not possible to approve of proposals to proceed to the next planning stage. In the meantime, however, the health board have requested that a project team should be reconstituted in connection with the provision of the extension and the reconstruction of St. Joseph's Hospital to up-date the planning of the development of the hospital. I furnished to the Mid-Western Health Board the names of the officers of my Department who will serve on the reconstituted team. The health board have arranged that the first meeting of the project team will take place on 11 November 1980.
In view of complaints made about severe overcrowding in the hospital would the Minister not agree that it is unacceptable that the planning of the 200-bed unit should have been delayed for an 11-month period? Would the Minister give a commitment that capital moneys will be made available during 1980-81 for this necessary project?
I cannot give such a commitment at this time but I will give serious consideration to the project in the context of the moneys available to me this year.
Would the Minister not agree that an 11-month delay on a project as urgent as this is totally unacceptable?
There are many projects and proposals throughout the country and if the Deputy looks at the developments and progress which have taken place this year, some of which happened to come to fruition in County Donegal at this time, as the Deputy may have realised, he will see that the input is going on on a continuing basis. With the resources available we will do our utmost to spread these throughout the country.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister has been left many projects and promises but no money.
I opened projects which we completed——
I saw the hospital opened in Dungloe——
We provided the money.
The next question, please.
23.
asked the Minister for Health whether he is satisfied with the fire safety arrangements in force at St. Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick; how often fire drill has been carried out in the past year; and whether he has any proposals in the matter.
The fire safety arrangements at St. Joseph's Hospital, Limerick, are primarily a matter for the Mid-Western Health Board. The board have assured me that the arrangements are continually reviewed in consultation with the local fire officer. I am informed by the health board that fire drills have been held on ten occasions during the past year.
Is the Minister aware of complaints made at the recent meeting of the Mid-Western Health Board to the effect that overcrowding constituted a serious fire hazard at night? I am not aware of the validity or otherwise of this but I felt the Minister should be given an opportunity to clarify the position.
That is a statement.
I have clarified the position in relation to the question asked. The fact that fire drills were held there on ten occasions seems to be fairly satisfactory.
In relation to the specific problem of night time is the Minister satisfied that the fire safety precautions are adequate?
I have said this is a matter for the health board. They have given evidence of the fact that they take a serious view of the necessary fire precautions. They have assured me that they watch this matter carefully.
Are the officers of the Minister's Department responsible for overseeing the safety and conditions of hospitals satisfied with the fire precautions in this hospital at night?
The Deputy may be referring to the fact that certain units of portable gas heaters were used in the hospital but the fire officer arranged that they be discontinued.
Question No. 24.
The answer is "yes" or "no". Are they satisfied or not?
Would the Deputy please allow the Minister to reply to Question No. 24 which I have called?
I have already answered that fire drills were held.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister is playing safe.
24.
asked the Minister for Health the total bed complement of St. Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick; the number of patients currently in this hospital and the breakdown of these patients between those who are psychiatrically ill and those who are mentally handicapped.
The total bed complement of St. Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick, is 850 beds. The number of patients currently in this hospital is 730. Four hundred and sixty patients are classified as psychiatrically ill and 120 suffer from mental handicap. In addition the hospital has 150 elderly patients, mainly psycho-geriatrics.
25.
asked the Minister for Health whether sanction has been given by his Department for the re-advertising for tenders for the construction of an operating theatre at Croom Hospital, County Limerick; when such sanction was sought; and the dates on which the original sanction was given and the application made.
26.
asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange immediate sanction for the re-advertising for tenders for the construction of a much needed additional operating theatre at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, County Limerick, as crisis point has been reached in the regional waiting list.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 26 together.
My Department are still awaiting clarification by the Mid-Western Health Board of certain issues in relation to the tenders obtained for the scheme to provide a new theatre suite at the Regional Orthopaedic Hospital, Croom. When these have been resolved I will consider the health board's request for approval to re-advertise the contract.
Sanction to re-advertise the contract was sought by the health board on 11 July 1980; application for sanction to advertise for tenders originally was made on 7 September 1979 and sanction was given on 25 September.
The information furnished to me by the health board would not indicate that there is a crisis situation at Croom Hospital. The position regarding the waiting list is comparable to that obtaining in other health board areas.
Is the Minister aware that the health board were informed by one of their officers at a meeting at the end of September that the Department were to give approval to put the contract out to tender again according to a report in The Irish Press of 4 October?
The Department are still awaiting clarification by the health board of certain issues in relation to some of the tenders obtained for the scheme to provide for the new theatre suite. As soon as they have been resolved I will consider the health board's request for approval to re-advertise the contract.
If the Minister's Department approved——
A question, please.
In view of the fact that the Minister's Department approved the advertising of tenders for this unit last year and that it would now be in construction had the contractor not gone into liquidation——
Would the Deputy please ask a question?
Can the Minister give the reason why he has not approved the re-advertising of the tender?
I am currently waiting for a reply from the health board. As soon as I get that I will deal with it urgently.
Is the Minister not aware that his predecessor authorised the advertising for and sanctioning of a tender last year? The contractor went into liquidation. Why is the Minister not allowing those same contract documents to be re-advertised and awarded?
Who was his predecessor?
His godfather.
There are other questions which have to be clarified in relation to this.
Is the Minister telling us that his predecessor did not ask these questions?
Next question, please.