Vol. 412 No. 5
190 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Health if he is now in a position to approve additional nursing staff at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital in County Limerick as he indicated last May that he was examining the position; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an orthopaedic surgeon and an anaesthetist are in need of support of extra nursing staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am aware of the position regarding Croom Orthopaedic Hospital.
During 1991 it has not proved possible, from within available resources, to approve additional permanent nursing posts for Croom Orthopaedic Hospital. The deployment of existing staff within a health board is, of course, primarily a matter for the management of that board.
The question of the approval of additional nursing posts for Croom Orthopaedic Hospital will be considered as sympathetically as possible in 1992, having regard to the many competing demands for resources and the board's priorities for new developments.
