Vol. 403 No. 4
225 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of permanent nursing positions in the country's psychiatric hospitals in 1990; and the way in which this figure compares with the figures for each of the years 1983 to 1989.
The number of permanent nursing positions in the country's public psychiatric hospitals from 1984 to 1989 is as follows: 1984 (March) — 5,708; 1985 (January) — 5,498; 1986 (January) — 5,461; 1987 (March) — 4,990; 1987 (December) — 4,458; 1988 (June) — 4,190; 1988 (December) — 4,213 and 1989 (December) — 4,247.
Data are not available in respect of 1983. Figures for 1990 will be available following completion of my Department's annual health services personnel census in December of this year.
It should also be noted that in that period the number of patients in psychiatric hospitals reduced from 11,600 to 8,000 approximately.
