Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Mar 1990

Vol. 396 No. 5

Written Answers. - Cork Regional Hospital.

Tomás MacGiolla

Question:

30 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to claims made by consultant doctors at the Cork Regional Hospital that the type of service provided in the hospital last year could not be maintained this year because of inadequate funding and that a crisis in patient care would develop in the near future unless the position was remedied; if it is intended to provide additional funds for the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

I am aware of the recent publicity concerning Cork Regional Hospital. As the Deputy knows, however, the provision of services at the hospital is primarily a matter for the Southern Health Board. It is also a matter for the board in the first instance to determine the level of funds made available to their hospitals from within their own allocation. I understand that the board have not yet finalised their hospitals' budget for 1990.

The Deputy, however, will be aware of the commitment I made in this House on 6 February that the agreed cost of additional activity in our hospitals arising from the 'flu epidemic in 1989 will be met by my Department in such a way that it will not intrude on the services planned for 1990. I also undertook to ensure that, at a minimum, the overall level of hospital activity in the latter part of 1989 will be continued through 1990.

While I appreciate that some of the equipment at Cork Regional Hospital will need replacement in the near future, it is not true to say, as the consultants argued in their recent press statement, that the hospital received no capital allocation in the past six or seven years. Since I became Minister for Health, £2.7 million has been made available from the capital budget of my Department for new accommodation and for new and replacement equipment at Cork Regional Hospital. I have already indicated in my statement in the House on 6 February the action which I intend to take in relation to the replacement of equipment in the hospitals system.