Dan Neville
Ceist:159 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide funding to ensure adequate beds are available in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12. [20780/00]
Written Answers. - Hospital Accommodation.
Dan Neville
Ceist:163 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide funding to ensure adequate beds are available in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12. [20830/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 163 together.
The Deputy will be aware that with effect from 1 March 2000, the Eastern Regional Health Authority assumed responsibility for all health service issues in the Eastern Region. Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children currently has a bed complement of 258 beds. Of these 258 beds, 192 are designated as public beds, 58 are designated private beds and eight are non-designated beds.
The approved level of expenditure for Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in 1999 was £35.869 million. The allocation for the hospital in 2000 was £40.848 million, which represents an increase £4.981 million or 14%.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness contains a commitment to review bed capacity in the acute and non-acute sectors. The review is under way and is being conducted by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Finance and in consultation with the social partners. The review will have regard to the adequacy of the existing bed stock in the eastern region.