Vol. 330 No. 1
asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the increase in the population in County Clare over the past 15 years, she will consider extensions to the local district hospitals at Ennistymon, Kilrush, Raheen and Edenvale which are used for geriatric purposes so that elderly people can be cared for adjacent to their homes and friends.
454.
asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the increase in the population of County Clare and of the high incidence of older people there, she will consider extending St. Joseph's Hospital, Ennis to provide additional accommodation.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
The question of the provision of services, including long-stay accommodation, for old people in County Clare is a matter, in the first instance, for the MidWestern Health Board. I understand that the recommendations of a special ad hoc committee, set up under the health board to consider this question, will be considered by the health board in the near future. Any proposals submitted to the Department by the health board, following their examination of the recommendations, will be considered by me, in the context of the priority accorded to them by the health board and the resources available.
455.
asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the increased population in County Clare and the fact that Ennis County Hospital is now a regional hospital, she will consider, with the benefit of the advice of the hospital staff, an extension to the hospital to meet the demands of acute medical, surgical and maternity cases.
The development of Ennis hospital to meet the requirements of the projected population of County Clare is under consideration with the Mid-Western Health Board.
As a first step in the planning of the development, agreement was reached between officers of my Department and of the board on the specialties and bed numbers required. A project team representative of the Department and the health board was set up in July last to prepare a planning brief. It is anticipated that it could take about three years to complete.
