Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
160 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the extent to which she expects to provide sufficient staff to enable Maynooth Community Hospital become fully operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26605/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the provision of health services in the Kildare area is a matter for the South Western Area Health Board acting under the aegis of the Eastern Regional Health Authority in the first instance. The authority has advised my Department that following recruitment of staff, an additional six beds have been opened at the Maynooth community nursing unit, giving a current total bed complement of 36 beds. The authority has further advised that the process for recruiting additional nurses is still under way, that additional beds will be opened at the unit as soon as sufficient staff are in place and that there will be a total bed complement of 44 beds when all the additional staff have been recruited.
