asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) how many patients are at present under treatment in St. Mary's Hospital, Phænix Park, Dublin, and (b) the total capacity of the hospital.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Mary's Hospital, Dublin.
The original scheme for the conversion of the former Hibernian Military School premises in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, into a tuberculosis institution envisaged the provision of accommodation of a permanent nature for 388 patients and staff. The publicity measures instituted by my Department during the past year or so have been designed to make known fully to the general public the facilities being made available by health authorities for free treatment for tuberculosis and have had the expected result of a substantial increase in the number of patients desiring to avail themselves of institutional treatment. This has been particularly noticeable in the Dublin area and I consequently decided some months ago that it was essential that additional accommodation should be provided at St. Mary's Chest Hospital to relieve the waiting list position.
This increased accommodation, which will amount to approximately 250 beds, is being made available by the adaptation of a number of Army huts on the site and by the conversion of a swimming pool and gymnasium into temporary use for the patients. At the moment, the permanent part of the institution has been completed to the extent of 308 beds, and the temporary part to the extent of 120, so that the total capacity of the hospital to date is 428 beds of which 396 are occupied. I am exerting every possible pressure upon Dublin Corporation to have patients admitted to the 30 or so beds that are vacant at present and to take steps to ensure that, as the scheme of expansion of the hospital progresses, beds will be occupied as soon as they become available until the ultimate bed complement of 636 is reached.