It is with regret that I heard of the action taken by the caring professional staff in the Mater Hospital to make their point well and truly known. We associate industrial action with people who wish to make a demand, normally to benefit themselves. It is regrettable that the staff had to take this action today not for any benefit or gain for themselves but for the patients to whom they provide a service.
As late as 1 March the Minister for Health replied to a question I put down on the Mater and Beaumont hospitals and other hospitals in the Dublin area providing an accident and emergency service. The reply records that the Minister is happy with the services provided in the accident and emergency service. He recognises that there are seasonal fluctuations and that there is a problem with the elderly who need more appropriate accommodation.
His reply is no different from replies to questions I put to the chief executive officer of the Eastern Health Board in January 1995 and to the then Minister for Health in January 1994. I also asked a similar question in September 1993. I am not sure if it is the Minister of the day or civil servants who drafts the replies but the language and tone used in the replies is similar.
I put down the questions because my attention was drawn to the fact that there is a serious recurring problem in the accident and emergency departments of Dublin hospitals. As can be seen from the questions I asked over a prolonged period, this debate does not arise just from the industrial action taken by the staff at the Mater Hospital today but from the totally unacceptable situation that exists throughout the accident and emergency departments in Dublin hospitals. It is about back-up beds and services not only in the Mater Hospital but in all Dublin hospitals. It is not a seasonal problem, as has been contended in replies to me on so many occasions, nor is it only a shortage of appropriate facilities for elderly patients. Of course we welcome the moneys the Minister recently allocated to the Eastern Health Board, if my memory serves me correctly amounting to £850,000 but, if one examines previous questions, one will find similar amounts were allocated heretofore.
The problem here does not relate to whether it is a new or an old building, if it is fully manned by auxiliary staff. It is a simple matter of there being insufficient beds within the system to serve the daily-annual demands. I am sure Members and the general public will be aware that patients and their families are often left waiting for hours without knowing whether the patient can be accommodated.
This must be very frustrating for those providing the care in accident and emergency departments. The staff simply cannot cope and token ad hoc gestures will not solve this serious problem. We know from the latest census that the percentage of elderly in our population is increasing. That is demonstrated by the demand for long-stay accommodation which is insufficient to meet present needs. Yet ad hoc remedies, this year £850,000, last year £750,000 and the year before of £500,000 are of no benefit and cannot be unless the proper back-up services and support beds are made available.
I will not quote cases to the Minister this evening which I am sure could be echoed by many other Members. From the Minister's experience of being a member of his health board until recently I am sure he too could quote such examples and, I understand, has expressed concern at inadequacies in the services in the past.
This is a daily occurrence warranting special consideration. I call on the Minister and the Government to give this urgent attention to ensure that those in need of these services will be enabled to avail of them.
