Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This debate is held against the background of the health service plan for 2014 which has significant budgetary implications of savings of €619 million in addition to projected deficit problems of €419 million. Those statistics alone have profound implications for the operation of the plan in the coming year. Deputy Ó Cuív outlined the statistics which show that significant taxpayers' resources are being utilised to support the health service, therefore, the issue of very great demand for services and cutbacks has serious implications which are profound.

Last week the House discussed the fair deal scheme. The service plan proposals have serious implications for that scheme. The population is ageing and the demand for places in nursing homes is increasing. The budgetary provision is such that there will be a decrease in the number of beds available. This is a serious situation. I have written to the Minister of State, Deputy White to outline an individual case which I hope he will consider. The circumstances of the case graphically illustrate the problems and difficulties arising in the fair deal scheme.

I refer to a local constituency issue, which is the availability of ambulances in the Drogheda area in the proximity of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The Garda Síochána brought a seriously injured man from the Rathmullen estate to the hospital because the ambulance was otherwise engaged. It begs the question whether there is a sufficient number of ambulances. It is a concern in particular during peak times such as Friday nights or at the weekends. The rostering of ambulance staff needs to be examined.

The unexpected emergency can arise at any time, whether on a Monday or a Tuesday as distinct from a Friday or a Saturday.

Earlier today somebody mentioned to me a pilot scheme in place in the UK where at weekends, in particular, in the large cities and towns, the St. John Ambulance, in some instances manned by volunteers, is available to treat minor and superficial injuries in order to take pressure off the accident and emergency service. There are huge pressures on the accident and emergency department in every hospital, in particular at weekends. We need to look at the possibility of moving the treatment of minor injuries away from the accident and emergency departments in order that more time and resources are available to deal with the serious cases.

A few months ago I and my party spokesperson on health, Deputy Kelleher, visited Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, and it was certainly enlightening. It is embracing new technology to enhance efficiency, the well-being of patients and the alacrity with which the health service can be delivered. For instance, it has a technological linkage with Craigavon. Some personnel from the HSE, although they may be aware of it, should look at that to see if there is something we could adopt to enhance and improve our health service.

We should actively pursue the possibility of developing cross-Border synergies and co-operation in certain areas. With the movement of population towards the east coast and the Dublin-Belfast corridor, where there are densely populated regions, inevitably the demand for health services will be all the greater. This is a small island and the health services on both sides of the Border are growing and more resources are being put into them. I am not sure of the current position of CAWT, the agency set up to look at the possibility of developing synergies and co-operation between the North and the South, but we need to look at that area as there may well be potential to enhance the health service in the Border areas.

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