asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the necessary finance to fund extra staffing to open the second floor of the fever hospital in New Ross, County Wexford, for geriatric care, as £70,000 was recently spent in improving conditions in the hospital and all new furniture, including beds, is available and the need for geriatric care is far greater than that for accommodation.
Written Answers. - New Ross (Wexford) Hospital Accommodation.
385.
The question of the utilisation of the New Ross Fever Hospital for geriatric patients is primarily a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board. I understand that the board have this matter under consideration at present and I will await any proposals the board wish to make in this regard.
However, the board, in common with other boards and health agencies, have to comply with the Government's direction on restricting the numbers employed in the Public Service and also they must provide services within the overall limits of their budget allocation. In these circumstances, any increase in the staffing level of one institution can be achieved only by a redeployment of existing manpower.