Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 7

Written Answers. - Dublin Hospital Overcrowding.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

131 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the overcrowding situation in St. Johns Oncology Unit in Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12; the investigations, if any, he has made regarding this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3549/96]

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

132 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health his views on the concerns of the parents of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 who suffers from leukaemia regarding the crisis overcrowding in St. John's Oncology Unit, the Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12. [3550/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together.

Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin is the main tertiary referral centre for paediatric oncology in the country and is responsible for the care of approximately 80 per cent of all children with cancer. It is also the National Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Centre.

The oncology unit at Crumlin has been completely refurbished in recent years at a total capital cost of £1.7 million. St. John's Ward is a 25 bed unit (including six beds in the day unit).

The annual running cost of the unit which is met from my department's annual revenue expenditure allocation to the hospital is estimated at £2.5 million.

In late 1995, clinicians from the unit requested a meeting with my Department to discuss issues relating to the work of the unit. The hospital authorities undertook to provide a detailed report prior to this meeting and this report was submitted recently to my Department. Arrangements are now being made for a meeting in the near future between officials of my department and hospital representatives to discuss the issues contained in the hospital's submission. The issues raised in the letter referred to by the Deputies will be fully considered at that meeting.