Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 7

Written Answers. - Peamount (Dublin) Hospital Staffing.

Mary Flaherty

Ceist:

140 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Health what reports, if any, he has received on staffing at Peamount Hospital, County Dublin; whether it will be dealt with as a matter of urgency; and the proposed improvements, if any, there are for the staffing levels in Peamount Hospital. [3664/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. O'Shea)

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the mental handicap service in Peamount Hospital.

I would like to inform the Deputy that responsibility for services in Peamount Hospital is a matter, in the first instance, for the Eastern Health Board. Discussions concerning the level of services to be provided and the funding of these services have been ongoing between the Eastern Health Board and the management of Peamount Hospital. My Department has been in touch with both the board and the management in Peamount concerning a number of issues including staffing levels.

My Department's nursing adviser visited Peamount Hospital last autumn to carry out a review of staffing levels in the mental handicap service. This report will be the subject of further discussions with both the board and Peamount Hospital.

As an initial response funding was made available last autumn for the immediate recruitment of six extra staff in the mental handicap services in Peamount Hospital, the full year cost of which in 1996 will amount to £100,000.