Vol. 486 No. 6
195 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will allocate funding to the Eastern Health Board to provide extra mobile toilet and shower facilities for the patients at Naas General Hospital to alleviate the existing problems in the short-term. [2986/98]
196 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will allocate funding to the Eastern Health Board to provide extra beds at Naas General Hospital to ensure that patients are not using armchairs and cots as at present. [2987/98]
197 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will allocate funding to the Eastern Health Board to provide dividing curtains, to ensure privacy for the male and female patients, at Naas General Hospital. [2988/98]
198 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the efforts, if any, his Department is making to alleviate the overcrowding at Naas General Hospital in the short-term. [2989/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 195, 196, 197 and 198 together.
The Eastern Health Board has approved a budget and service plan for the currrent year. In relation to Naas General Hospital, the board envisages that the 1998 allocation will facilitate the maintenance of 1997 service levels and allow for some service developments, particularly in general surgery and general medicine. The budget and service plan have been the subject of discussion between the Eastern Health Board's management team and my Department. However, as the provision of the facilities mentioned is the responsibility of the Eastern Health Board in the first instance, I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in relation to these matters and to reply to the Deputy directly as a matter of urgency.
