Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Jun 1993

Vol. 431 No. 8

Written Answers. - Galway Hospital.

John Connor

Question:

25 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the position of the clean air theatre for hip surgery at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is now a five year waiting list for hip operations in the Western Health Board.

Michael P. Kitt

Question:

120 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Health the cost of funding and staffing the clean air theatres in Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; the total amount of money he has allocated for capital development in 1993; and if any other project in the Western Health Board area was funded in 1993 out of capital development funds.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 120 together.

Two new clean air theatres have been installed by the Western Health Board in Merlin Park Hospital, Galway, at a capital cost of about £400,000 of which £300,000 has been contributed by my Department. It is estimated that £300,000 will be required to equip the theatres and that the annual additional revenue cost will be about £150,000.

The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced an allocation of £2,192,600 to the Western Health Board as part of the major action programme on waiting lists in 1993 to reduce the time patients have to wait for operations for Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Cardiac Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Vascular Surgery. The aim is to eliminate waiting lists in excess of 12 months in these specialties, and to set a maximum period of six months in the case of children waiting for ENT and Ophthalmology operations. Included in this allocation is provision for equipping and commissioning the two clean air theatres to enable the Western Health Board to carry out agreed additional Orthopaedic procedures in 1993.

The total amount of the health capital allocation for 1993 is £44 million. The distribution of this total will be influenced to a considerable extent by the location of the major ongoing hospital developments. I am not in a position at this stage to give a definitive list of the capital projects that will be funded in 1993 in any health board area.