Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 29 Jun 1995

Vol. 455 No. 3

Written Answers - Women's Refugees.

Máirín Quill

Ceist:

24 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that adequate refuge places are available throughout the country for women fleeing from domestic violence in view of the publication of the report, Zero Tolerance, A Strategy for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12043/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The report, Zero Tolerance — A National Strategy on Eliminating Violence Against Women, prepared by Women's Aid, was presented to me two weeks ago. The report makes a number of important recommendations for tackling the problem of domestic violence.

In so far as my own area is concerned I fully recognise the essential role of women's refuges as a a key element in the range of support services required to address this problem. I am particularly conscious of the fact that, while comprehensive information on the number of women who are unable to obtain accommodation in women's refuges is not available, there does appear to be a shortfall in the overall provision.

I want to assure the House that I am committed to the development of appropriate services within the health area for victims of domestic violence. It is my intention to build on the developments, costing in the region of £350,000 which were approved last year. These included:

Eastern Health Board

an increase of £50,000 annually in the level of financial support to women's refuges in the Dublin area;

Midland Health Board

the provision of new counselling services for victims of domestic violence in Athlone and Tullamore;

North Eastern Health Board

the setting up of new services for victims of domestic violence in Dundalk;

North Western Health Board

additional funding for Women's Aid, Letterkenny;

Mid-Western Health Board

increased financial support for Adapt Refuge, Limerick to employ a child care worker;

South Eastern Health Board

increased funding for Oasis Hostel in Waterford and for the development of additional refuge places in the region;

Southern Health Board

increased support for Adapt Women's Refuge, Tralee and for Cuanlee Refuge in Cork;

Western Health Board

the development of a facility in Castlebar for victims of domestic violence.

As I have indicated, it is my intention that continued progress will be made in this very important area this year. As a first step, I have approved the payment of £55,000 towards the running costs of the freephone national helpline service provided by Women's Aid and £20,000 to the National Federation of Refuges for Abused Women and their Children to support their co-ordinating activities. My colleague, Deputy Austin Currie, Minister of State at my Department, will shortly be announcing further developments in this important area this year.

The House will also be aware that earlier this year the National Federation of Refuges for Abused Women and their Children launched their policy document for Womens Refuges. My Department circulated this document to all health boards for urgent consideration in the context of their service development plans.

The discussion document — Developing a Policy for Women's Health — which was launched on Thursday last 22 June identifies violence against women and children as a priority area for development. This discussion document will form the basis for widespread consultation with women including women who are victims of domestic violence.

The publication on Friday last of the Domestic Violence Bill, 1995 marks a renewed commitment on the part of the Government to tackle with greater effect the problem of violence in the home. The Bill has been drafted following extensive consultations with organisations such as Women's Aid.

It is clear from the various elements which arise in the context of domestic violence that this is a very complex issue which no one Government Department or agency can tackle in isolation. Given the co-ordinating role which I have in the three Departments of Health, Education and Justice I will ensure that this report is considered fully from the perspective of the three Departments.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Ceist:

26 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has for improvements in cardiac services in view of the fact that there are 1,600 people on waiting lists for heart operations, that there is a shortage of cardiologists and that there are only two centres where by-pass operations are carried out on public patients. [12016/95]

Eric J. Byrne

Ceist:

32 Dr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to reduce cardiac waiting lists; and if he will make a statement of the matter. [1206/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 32 together.

Open heart surgery operations for adults, including coronary artery by-pass grafts are currently performed for public patients at the national cardiac surgery unit in the Mater Hospital, Dublin and at Cork University Hospital.

In 1993, a sum of £1 million from the waiting list fund was allocated to enable the necessary facilities to be put in place at the national cardiac surgery unit, Mater Hospital to increase the annual throughput of open heart surgery at the hospital from 750 to 1,000 — an increase of 33 per cent. In addition, in 1993 and 1994 funding of £2.8 million was provided to facilitate the doubling of cardiac surgery at Cork University Hospital from 200 to 400 patients each year.

Over 1993 and 1994, in excess of £2 million revenue and £3.5 million in capital was allocated to the Mater Hospital for cardiac surgery and related developments. The building works which were associated with this development, were completed in mid-1994, include additional cardiac maintenance beds, intensive care facilities and high dependency facilities which are required to support the cardiac surgery programme.

Additional resources of £200,000 are being provided in 1995 to the Mater Hospital to ensure that throughput in cardiac surgery in 1995 reaches the target of 1,000 open heart operations per year. An additional permanent cardiac surgeon has been appointed to the Mater Hospital and is expected to take up duty in August 1995. In addition, a second cardiac surgeon is being recruited for Cork University Hospital.

The developments at the Mater Hospital, together with the developments for cardiac surgery at Cork University Hospital will have the effect of increasing the number of cardiac surgery operations performed on an annual basis in the public hospital sector by 47 per cent from 950 to 1,400.

The question of the provision of further additional facilities for cardiac surgery will be considered as sympathetically as possible in the context of the many competing demands for resources throughout the health services.