Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 March 2006
139 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of hospital beds available at present; the number by which this has increased or decreased in the past 15 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8768/06]
View answerOn 31 December 1990, the bed complement of hospitals in the HSE network was 11,154 inpatient beds and 284 day places. The average number of beds available for use in hospitals in the HSE network between January and December 2005 was 12,038 inpatient beds and 1,213 day places. These figures are provisional and refer to the average number of beds available throughout 2005, including beds which were temporarily closed or opened. This data shows an increase of 884 in inpatient beds in publicly funded acute hospitals and an increase of 929 in day places. The Deputy will be aware that there are approximately 2,500 beds in private hospitals throughout the country.
