asked the Minister for Health the total number of nurses employed in local authority and voluntary hospitals including psychiatric hospitals; and the ratio of nurses to beds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of Nurses.
97.
The total number of nurses employed in local authority and voluntary hospitals including psychiatric hospitals and county homes is 14,880. The number of beds in these hospitals is 46,800. A crude ratio of nurses to beds calculated from these figures would not be very meaningful by reason of the wide variation in nurse staffing between different kinds of hospital and between hospitals which include nurse training schools and those that do not.
Does the Minister think the number of nurses given by him is sufficient for such a number of beds in general? The Minister is not able to answer any of my questions. Would he not consider transferring to another Department?
The Deputy has asked me whether I consider that the ratio of nurses to beds——
I did not ask that question at all. I asked the Minister did he consider that the number——
The Deputy might consider transferring himself, which I believe he intends to do, to some other occupation than asking stupid questions.
That is a retaliation. I do not think it is worthy of the Minister to make a statement like that.
Keep it at civilised level, anyway.
Do not join with the Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.
It was a particularly stupid question from Deputy O'Connell.
I asked the Minister a simple question; have we enough nurses to deal with the number of beds?
The Deputy will have plenty of opportunity of discussing this matter on another occasion.
Evasive, as usual.
If you get the 104 Deputies, it will be God help Ireland.