Vol. 527 No. 2
106 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of additional beds being allocated to each health board as a result of the recent initiative announced by his Department; the number of additional beds which will be provided for the elderly in St. Mary's Hospital, Mullingar, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28077/00]
I presume the Deputy is referring to the £25 million investment package which I recently announced and which is aimed at alleviating anticipated critical service pressures and maintaining services to patients, particularly in acute hospitals, over the winter period. Funding for the contracting of at least 500 additional private nursing home places by the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, and the health boards has been included under the initiative. The ERHA and the health boards are in the process of contracting these beds at present. I am satisfied that this part of the initiative will have a significant impact on the problem of inappropriate use of acute hospital beds with the immediate provision of additional bed capacity in a more appropriate setting.
Under the winter initiative I have provided funding of £760,000 to the Midland Health Board in 2000-2001 for the contracting of additional nursing home beds and a further £95,000 for the provision of aids and supports for older persons. I am satisfied that this funding will help to alleviate anticipated service pressures across the Midland Health Board including St. Mary's Hospital.
