Vol. 515 No. 2
173 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on recent press reports that accident and emergency departments are being badly affected by staff shortages; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mercy Hospital, Cork, was without senior house officer cover from midnight on a recent Wednesday night. [5685/00]
The responsibility for determining the staffing level within hospital departments including the accident and emergency department rests, in the first instance, with the hospital concerned. However, I am aware that a number of hospitals have experienced some staff shortages in recent times and officials in my Department are currently investigating measures to address this issue.
With regard to the specific difficulty identified by the Deputy, I have made inquiries of the authorities of the hospital concerned and I have been assured that senior house officer cover has been available every night after midnight.
