Vol. 428 No. 1
438 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a break-down, by department, of the proposed number of beds in the regional hospital to be built in Tallaght, Dublin 24 as currently envisaged by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It has been agreed by the Tallaght Hospital Board and accepted by the participating hospitals that the new hospital at Tallaght will have a total of 467 beds, 22 accident and emergency observation beds, and 14 dialysis places. The only departments in respect of which bed designations have been identified at this stage are paediatrics and geriatric assessment and rehabilitation. These specialties have special planning requirements which must be provided for in the overall design. Other specialties do not have special planning requirements and are catered for in standard ward accommodation.
In respect of paediatrics, provision has been made for 40 paediatric in-patient beds, together with 23 paediatric day beds and four paediatric high dependency beds within a purpose-built unit designed for children's needs and separate from the standard ward accommodation of the hospital.
In addition, six accident and emergency observation beds will be provided for children in the dedicated paediatric accident and emergency department. In respect of geriatric assessment and rehabilitation, 30 beds have been provided.
