asked the Minister for Health if she will provide money to equip the new county hospital in Tralee, County Kerry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tralee New Hospital.
5.
A decision regarding the provision of money to equip the new County Hospital in Tralee will depend on the availability of capital resources.
I cannot at this time say when I will be in a position to allow purchasing to proceed. The health capital programme is under review by the Government in the context of its review of public expenditure generally.
We have in Tralee a new hospital which will be completed in about two weeks' time at a cost of £10 million. Will the Minister provide the necessary finance for the provision of equipment in this hospital in the next financial year and finance for the increased staff required for this new county hospital? There are 300 people employed in the present county hospital and my information is that 1,000 will be employed in the new county hospital.
The estimated cost of equipment is £3 million. Consultation with regard to the equipment is proceeding at present. Most of the problems have been resolved. There will be about 700 additional staff and, as I have already said, I cannot give a further commitment on this, pending the outcome of the health capital programme which is under review by the Government at present. When I know what moneys are available to me I will tell the Deputy whether it will be possible to meet the demands.
It is very strange to me to have a county hospital in Kerry, built at the cost of £10 million to the State, and no provision for money to equip that new hospital or staff it. It will be there as a white elephant. It is quite possible that it could be vandalised.
A question, Deputy, please.
It is essential that the Minister should give an undertaking here today to have the finance provided for County Kerry to equip that hospital and provide the increased number of staff required.
I agree with the Deputy that it is desirable that the hospital should be opened and I will do all possible to ensure that the money is made available but I cannot give a commitment today. At this stage of the proceedings I cannot give a commitment to the Deputy.
The fact of the matter is that without equipment there will be a delay in the opening of the hospital. Will the Minister give a guarantee that she will provide the money, by way of supplementary grant, if necessary, because otherwise the hospital will be left idle? The staff and the patients of St. Catherine's Hospital have endured enough as far as the old hospital is concerned.
I have already answered that. The question of finance for the health services generally is under review. When I am aware of the finance that will be made available to me I will let the Deputy know what the position is.
Will the Minister agree that this brings sharply into focus the whole question of the monetarist approach of the Government in contradiction to the socially aware and concerned policy of the previous administration? Will the Minister agree that here we have a clear case where capital expenditure is urgently desired for the benefit of a very large section of the community, that this new regional hospital for which we provided the money is a key element in the provision of the health services for the south west, a situation about which the Minister, when in opposition, was frequently vociferous? Will the Minister endeavour to persuade her more monetarist-minded colleagues in the Government to provide the necessary funds for this essential development of our health services?
The Deputy can be assured that I will make the best endeavours possible in relation to the health services generally. I am well aware of the situation here. Certainly, as far as I am concerned, I will be endeavouring to get the money.
Will the Minister agree that the failure to provide this capital money to equip that modern new regional hospital which has been built and finished for the benefit of the people of a whole region is monetarism at its very worst?
I should like to ask the Minister if she is aware that the ordering process for the equipment has now been set back because this was to go on stream immediately as far as Tralee hospital is concerned? It is a serious situation. From the time ordering is approved it will be between eight and nine months before some of the major equipment can be delivered. Will the Minister, therefore, recognise that any delay at this stage in a programme which was to go ahead to completion, including the provision of equipment, will mean an inordinate delay at the other end because of the time lag? Will the Minister, therefore, do her utmost with her Cabinet colleagues to get back the approval which was there for the completion of the hospital? Is the Minister aware that even given no additional finance next year the Tralee hospital was covered totally for equipment and putting into operation?
As far as equipment is concerned an equipping group, made up of representatives of the Southern Health Board and the Department of Health, met at intervals since October 1980 to agree lists of furniture and equipment generally. About two-thirds of the non-specialist equipment and furniture has been agreed already, and one-third remains to be agreed. The requirement of seven departments remains to be examined and all specialised equipment remains to be agreed with the consultants with speciality. Suitable items for transfer from St. Catherine's Hospital, Tralee, will be listed for transfer to the new hospital at the appropriate time. As far as the general question is concerned, I have already said I agree that this is something which is very desirable and, in the light of the finances made available to me, it certainly will receive my approval.
Will the Minister agree that it could be two years before the new county hospital in Tralee will be opened?
I cannot agree to anything like that at this point in time.