Responsibility for the funding of services at the Mater Hospital rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. At the outset, I should say that both my Department and the Eastern Regional Health Authority have accepted the need for upgrading of the accident and emergency department at the Mater Hospital. In October 2002 my Department approved a capital grant of €1.4 million for this purpose. This upgrading will, apart from benefiting Accident and Emergency patients, staff and clinical risk management in general, reduce hospital admissions and expand the available complement of hospital beds.
Due to the nature of the Accident and Emergency department, it was necessary to phase work on the project which commenced in April 2003. My Department is advised by the ERHA that a new three-bay resuscitation area and wound care clinic have now been completed while the final stages of the project, which relate to security and upgrade of the entrance, are expected to be completed shortly. It is acknowledged that, due to ongoing pressure in the Accident and Emergency department, programming of the project has been difficult. However, the Deputy will appreciate that clinical priorities have at all times needed to take precedence over project work.
