I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 62 together.
Heart surgery for public patients is performed in three locations — the National Cardiac Unit, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin; Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, and Cork Regional Hospital.
There is a total of 1,113 adults on the waiting list for cardiac surgery, 1,068 of whom are on the Mater Hospital waiting list. There are 47 paediatric cases on the Crumlin waiting list.
The admission of a patient to hospital for cardiac surgery is a clinical decision taken by the consultant concerned and is based on the patient's condition and not on the length of time on the waiting list. I think the Deputy will understand this. Emergency cases are dealt with immediately. However, the number of emergency cases arising will obviously affect the waiting times for non-emergency admissions. This has been the admissions procedure over a number of years.
Significant additional resources have been allocated to cardiac surgery over the last two years, in spite of severe financial restrictions. Special additional funding was approved for the provision of ten additional cardiac beds at the national cardiac unit. The total capital cost was £421,000, made up of £235,000 for renovation and upgrading works and £186,000 for equipment. Furthermore, £400,000 additional annual staffing costs were approved which is, of course, a cost which must be provided on an ongoing basis each year.
A second post of cardiac surgeon has been sanctioned in Cork and it is hoped that this post will be filled by the end of 1992. This appointment will double the cardiac surgery output at the Regional Hospital in Cork.
The Deputy will be pleased to learn that as an immediate step in expanding services this year I have allocated £120,000, for the provision of 40 additional open heart operations at the Mater Hospital in the current year.