Vol. 480 No. 6
235 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the South-Infirmary/Victoria Hospital in relation to funding priority in the Southern Health Board region in view of the very poor conditions in the hospital. [15236/97]
236 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children when he will make a decision on the funding for the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital. [15237/97]
237 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children when his Department will approve the appointment of a cardiologist to the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, an appointment which was approved by his predecessor. [15238/97]
301 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the £ 320,000 necessary to upgrade the accident and emergency facilities in the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, to include accident and emergency facilities, observation and admission units and additional outpatient consulting rooms. [14961/97]
302 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the sum of £ 260,000 for the provision of a dedicated ENT ward at the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, in view of the fact that it has been discussed and agreed with his Department; if he will sanction the appointment of a ward sister, four staff nurses, two care assistants, one porter and three catering personnel to serve the unit when set up in view of the pressure on the current unit which is overloaded and under-resourced. [14962/97]
303 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give approval to the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, to employ one additional medical registrar and one additional senior house officer in medicine to allow a two-tier rota to be established. [14963/97]
304 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, has a shortfall of £ 559,000 in its revenue budget in 1997 due to a 22 per cent increase in the number of emergency admissions to the hospital, resulting in increased emergency all-outs of both medical and paramedical staff, with an increase in emergency investigations and tests in respect of blood transfusion services and laboratory tests; and if he will make this funding available to the hospital in order that it can continue its excellent service to the people of Cork. [14964/97]
305 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the grant of £ 439,000 for the extension of operating theatres and ancillary facilities in the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork. [14965/97]
307 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide £ 55,000 for the replacement of the existing main passenger lift to wards of the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, in order that they will comply with current safety and fire regulation standards. [14967/97]
308 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the provision of a second lift to the link corridor of the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, in respect of additional patients being transported to theatres between the two hospital wings. [14968/97]
309 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide £ 240,000 for the refurbishment of public wards in order to provide more privacy in the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork. [14969/97]
310 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the purchase of an automatic generator to the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, to cover the hospital complex in the event of a power failure in view of the fact that the current generators are manual and grossly inadequate. [14970/97]
311 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction £ 90,000 for the diabetes centre at South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork. [14971/97]
312 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide £ 550,000 for a screening room in the X-Ray department of the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork. [14972/97]
313 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children when his Department will approve the post of cardiologist in the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, particularly in view of a letter of sanction by the previous Minister dated 24 February 1997, to the hospital regarding this post of cardiologist, which has not been followed up by his Department. [14973/97]
314 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the necessary funding to upgrade the ENT outpatients department in the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork. [14974/97]
315 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction the purchase of a CT scanner for the Radiology Department of South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, in view of the fact that the hospital has only a limited use of the scanner in another city hospital, which means that gravely ill patients have to be transferred across the city. [14975/97]
316 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will sanction £ 50,000 towards the provision of day rooms for in-patients at the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork. [14976/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 236, 237, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315 and 316 together.
I assure Deputies that I am very much aware of the important role played by the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital and I am anxious to ensure that the hospital continues to play a full and active part in the delivery of hospital services in Cork. Recent service developments at the hospital include enhancements in the areas of dermatology, radiology and ENT. In additon, recent capital developments funded by my Department, include improvements to the medical records and catering departments. The appointment of an additional consultant cardiologist is a matter for further discussions between the hospital and my Department and will be progressed as a matter of priority.
With regard to the budgetary situation at the hospital, in line with Government policy, the hospital is required to produce a plan to manage its services during the year in accordance with the approved level of funding.
The South Infirmary/Victoria has submitted a wide range of proposed capital and revenue developments to my Department, including those referred to by the Deputies, and these will be considered in line with the priorities of the hospital authorities and the service needs in the Cork area in the context of the resources available for the development of hospital services.
