Vol. 524 No. 5
158 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Defence the progress that has been made with regard to the use of St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin 7, for accommodation and treatment of civilian patients and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22870/00]
197 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Defence if he will advise the date when agreement in principle was reached for civilian patients to be accommodated in St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin 7; when the proposal was first considered; if he has satisfied himself with the progress to date and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22873/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 197 together.
The question of the possible use of St. Bricin's Military Hospital for civilian patients was first mooted in late 1997, following contacts between military medical staff and the Mater Hospital. Agreement in principle was reached in 1998 between my Department, the Department of Health and Children and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital on a proposal to use part of St. Bricin's Military Hospital as a step down medical facility into which certain categories of civilian patients could be transferred from the Mater Hospital. My Department agreed to a pilot scheme with the intention of entering into a long-term arrangement for accommodating civilian patients at St. Bricin's Hospital, if the pilot scheme proved successful.
The Department of Health and Children has overall responsibility for the proposal. Accordingly, before any pilot scheme can commence, it is essential that the Department of Health and Children is fully satisfied with regard to all the arrangements surrounding the transfer, accommodation and treatment of civilian patients in St. Bricin's Hospital. I am informed that proposals were made by the Mater Hospital to the Department of Health and Children with regard to the use of St. Bricin's Hospital. While it was accepted that these proposals had merit, I am informed that a number of important issues still required clarification such as legal and insurance issues which are in the remit of the Department of Health and Children.
With effect from 1 March 2000 the new Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, is the statutory body with responsibility for health and personal social services for people who live in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. The ERHA is currently examining the accident and emergency services and hospital waiting lists in their region with a view to bringing forward recommendations to improve services and address existing deficiencies in these areas of service provision.
