Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 3

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Bernard Allen

Question:

230 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if a company (details supplied) has been in contact with him regarding a new strategy for the future of acute hospital services arising from its recent report stating that a specific strategy for acute hospitals, as part of an overall strategy for the health service, is required to address issues relating to the number of developments in the hospital sector. [6516/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

A comprehensive strategic policy framework for the acute hospital sector is set out in the new health strategy, Quality and Fairness: A Health System for You. Central to this policy framework is the decision by the Government to significantly increase bed capacity in acute hospitals over the next ten years.

A detailed analysis of acute hospital bed capacity needs has been conducted by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Finance and in consultation with the social partners. The subsequent report entitled, Acute Hospital Bed Capacity – A National Review, which was published on 16 January 2002, helped to inform the Government in its decision to provide a total of 3,000 additional acute beds for public patients over the next ten years. This represents the largest ever concentrated expansion of acute hospital capacity in Ireland. In tandem with the publication of the report, I announced the first phase of these additional beds with the commissioning of an extra 709 acute hospital beds in the current year at a cost of €65 million.

Officials from my Department recently met representatives from the company referred to by the Deputy to discuss the overall bed capacity requirements for public and private patients.