Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2004
89 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of new hospital beds that have been provided so far in 2004 and the projected number that will be provided before the end of 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15578/04]
View answerI have provided additional annual revenue funding of €93 million and capital funding of €25 million to health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority to commission 709 extra beds in the acute hospital sector as part of the Government's commitment under the health strategy to provide an additional 3,000 acute hospital beds over the period to 2011. A total of 589 of these beds have been commissioned to date and funding has been made available to health boards/authority to commission the balance of the 709 beds.
I have also provided a total of €12.6 million in 2004 to the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Southern Health Board to facilitate the discharge of patients from acute hospitals to more appropriate settings, thereby freeing up acute hospital beds. This funding provides for the subvention of additional beds in the private nursing home sector and the provision of ongoing support in the community.
This Government is committed, over the lifetime of the health strategy, to providing additional beds in public acute hospitals with the objective of improving access for public patients to hospital services and reducing waiting times for treatment.
