Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 2

Written Answers. - Dublin Area Hospital Accommodation.

Ivor Callely

Question:

47 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the names of the hospitals in the Dublin area under the aegis of his Department; if he will give a breakdown of the total number of beds in each hospital and the designation of these beds for private, semi-private and public patients; if he has satisfied himself with existing arrangements and that the waiting period for all patients to obtain a bed is fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

The detailed information on bed numbers sought by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement which I will circulate in the Official Report. I am assuming that the question refers to acute hospitals i.e. those in which the bed designation system applies.

I am satisfied that the formal designation of beds between private and public has improved the access of public patients to hospital beds. The bed designations, which came into effect in March 1992, are subject to review in the light of activity patterns and the first review is currently in progress.

Acute Hospitals in the Dublin Area.

Category	Total No. of Beds	No. of Public Beds	No. of Private Beds
Voluntary
Adelaide	173	119	54
Beaumont	586	499	87
Mater	462	419	43
Meath	268	206	62
St. James's	552	474	78
St. Vincent's	442	394	48
St. Michael's (Dun Laoire)	89	60	29
Voluntary Maternity Hospitals
Coombe	194	130	64
Holles St.	168	103	65
Rotunda	162	108	54
Voluntary Childrens Hospitals
Temple St.	131	102	29
Our Lady's	250	192	58
Harcourt St.	64	45	19
Voluntary Orthopaedic Hospitals
Incorporated
Orthopaedic	104	92	12
St. Mary's, Cappagh	109	98	11
Voluntary Cancer Hospitals
Hume St.	31	23	8
St. Luke's/St Anne's	164	133	31
Voluntary Eye and Ear Hospital
Royal Victoria Eye and Ear	87	58	29
Eastern Health Board Hospitals
James Connolly Memorial	244	217	27
St. Colmcille's Loughlinstown	145	118	27
Peamount	129	118	11

Notes:

The number of beds given is the number which were covered by the original bed designations under the Health (Amendment) Act, 1991. The number of beds includes day beds but excludes non-designated beds.

Under these designations, beds were designated as between private and public: private beds were not formally designated as between private and semi-private.