Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Dec 1993

Vol. 436 No. 7

Written Answers. - Hospital Accident and Emergency Departments.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

204 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the total number of young people that attended hospital accident and emergency departments in the year 1992; if he will give a breakdown for each hospital in the Dublin area by age category from infant to 14 years, 15 years to 20 years and 20 years to 25 years; the proposals, if any, he has to improve accident and emergency departments in view of the large number of young people that attend; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

My Department does not collect statistics in relation to the age breakdown of patients attending hospital accident and emergency departments.

In general, up to 14 years of age, children in Dublin attend the accident and emergency departments of the three children's hospitals in the city. Accident and emergency attendance figures for these hospitals in 1992 were as follows:

Children's Hospital, Temple Street	58,473
National Children's Hospital	20,023
Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin	34,428

Other patients attend the accident and emergency departments of the six major Dublin hospitals. The attendances at these departments in 1992 were as follows:

Beaumont	56,984
James Connolly Memorial	33,342
Mater	64,889
Meath	48,494
St. James's	47,737
St. Vincent's	47,153

I am satisfied that hospital accident and emergency departments can, in general, cope with the demands made of them. The position in relation to the workload of these departments is monitored by my Department on an ongoing basis with a view to taking appropriate action if required.