Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2015

Thursday, 11 June 2015

Ceisteanna (169)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

169. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health in view of the planned reduction in hours of the emergency department at Portlaoise hospital in County Laois, if he will confirm the status of a Department submission to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to reduce the opening hours of four other emergency departments, namely, Portiuncula and Ballinasloe in County Galway, Clonmel in County Tipperary, Naas in County Kildare and Mercy hospital in County Cork; if he will reassure communities within the catchment areas of these hospitals that their emergency services are secure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22850/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I understand that the submission referred to by the Deputy was one provided by my Department to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform under the Governments' Comprehensive Review of Expenditure exercise last year.

The Department of Public Expenditure Reform instructed each Government Department to review its existing expenditure across its main spending programmes and provide a list of options on resource allocations as part of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review process 2015-2017. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform specifically requested measures that would meet revised expenditure ceilings as well as measures that would meet a requirement to reduce expenditure by 5%.

Rather than any decrease in allocation, my Department secured a modest increase in its allocation as part of Budget 2015 which allowed for the existing level of service to be maintained. In that context therefore, there are no plans to implement any of the proposals mentioned.