Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 1

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

222 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of beds in each of the hospitals in the Southern Health Board area; and the number of bed days lost due to staff shortages in each hospital in the area. [19774/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

Bed Complement for Hospitals in the Southern

Health Board Area

Cork University Hospital	566
Erinville Hospital	56
St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital	126
Mallow General Hospital	69
St. Finbarr's Hospital	133
Tralee General Hospital	354
Bantry Hospital	68
Mercy Hospital	255
South Infirmary/Victoria	188

According to information supplied to my Department by the Southern Health Board and from voluntary hospitals within the region, there have not been any bed days lost this year in any of the hospitals in the Southern Health Board region due to staff shortages.

Enda Kenny

Question:

223 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the staffing levels at the laboratory at Mayo General Hospital; if a request has been lodged with the Western Health Board for additional staff; if he will indicate the throughput of work from this laboratory with its current staff in comparison to that of the laboratory at University College Hospital, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19776/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The provision of staffing at Mayo General Hospital in this instance is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in relation to this issue and to reply to the Deputy directly.