Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 3

Written Answers. - Hospice In-Patient Care.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

113 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Health the funds allocated by the health boards, his Department and other State agencies towards hospice in-patient care in each health board region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9813/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The 1996 allocation for Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross, which is the only hospice service directly funded by my Department, is £5.964 million. St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, which is funded through the Eastern Health Board by my Department, will receive an allocation of £950,000.

Funding for other hospice services is channelled through the local health boards and discussions between my officials and the health boards regarding their allocations for their 1996 overall service-development plans were recently completed. Details of 1996 funding for in-patient hospice services notified to my Department are set out in the following schedule.

The Deputy will be aware that in some instances health boards do not specifically allocate funds towards hospice in-patient care but make resources available in respect of this form of care within the overall budgetary allocations of acute and long-stay hospitals in their region for the provision of this service.

In-Patient Hospice Services 1996

	£ million
Our Lady's Hospice, Harolds Cross	5.964
Eastern Health Board
St. Francis Hospice, Raheny	0.950
Midland Health Board
Laois/Offaly/Longford/Westmeath	0.054
Mid-Western Health Board
Budget for 1996 not yet determined
North-Eastern Health Board
Palliative Care Units at:Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, and Monaghan General Hospital	0.020
North-Western Health Board
— no specifically allocated funds
South-Eastern Health Board
Carlow District Hospital	0.006
Southern Health Board
Marymount Hospice	0.797
Western Health Board
— no specifically allocated funds