Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be finished in a minute. I understand there are 16 general ICU beds, four HDU beds and three new HDU beds in St. James's Hospital. In line with the hospital's complement, it should have another four ICU beds. If I have counted correctly, there would be 27 beds in total. How does our national hospital compare with hospitals in Northern Ireland and England when it comes to ICU and HDU beds? I am constantly being lobbied by people regarding the intensive care and high dependency facilities in that hospital. I have been told of operations that could not be done because no ICU beds were available. I would like an answer to the question I asked about the individual in the hospital who has over-stepped the mark by allowing his or her photograph to be put on a political leaflet.