I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 69 and 93 together.
This Government is committed to increasing acute hospital bed capacity as indicated in the health strategy. Since 2002, funding has been provided to hospitals to open an additional 900 beds. A total of 600 of these beds are already open and the rest will come on stream in 2004-2005. The table below shows details of the current position in relation to additional beds for which funding has been provided.
Hospital
|
Additional beds in place
|
Beds due to open
|
Beaumont/St. Joseph’s, Raheny
|
77
|
28
|
St. James’s
|
74
|
66
|
St. Vincent’s, incorporating St. Michael’s, Dun Laoghaire
|
42
|
—
|
Naas General
|
61
|
30
|
James Connolly Memorial
|
—
|
21
|
Tallaght
|
7
|
—
|
Temple Street
|
15
|
—
|
Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore
|
—
|
6
|
Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar
|
—
|
12
|
Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise
|
5
|
—
|
Mid West Regional Hospital, Limerick
|
55
|
—
|
Croom Orthopaedic
|
17
|
—
|
Nenagh General
|
6
|
—
|
Louth General
|
14
|
—
|
Monaghan General
|
—
|
10
|
Our Lady’s Navan
|
14
|
—
|
Letterkenny General
|
8
|
—
|
Sligo General
|
30
|
—
|
Kilcreene Orthopaedic
|
28
|
—
|
St. Luke’s Kilkenny
|
14
|
—
|
Waterford Regional
|
24
|
—
|
Wexford General
|
10
|
—
|
Bantry General
|
8
|
—
|
Mercy University Hospital
|
13
|
—
|
South Infirmary / Victoria, Cork
|
—
|
35
|
Kerry General, Tralee
|
16
|
—
|
Mayo General
|
23
|
37
|
Roscommon General Hospital
|
—
|
9
|
UCHG
|
36
|
44
|
Portiuncula
|
3
|
2
|
Total
|
600
|
300
|
Overall Total
|
900
|
—
|
The average number of in-patient and day beds available in publicly funded hospitals in June 1997 as reported to the Department of Health and Children by health boards and voluntary hospitals was 12,604. The total number of available beds in July 2004, the latest date for which complete figures are available was 13,390.