Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My apologies. I refer to the role of the voluntary hospitals and, in particular, the value of their sites. If the voluntary hospitals no longer will be part of the structure, what will be their attitude about the structures they own and the funding that could be realised from those sites?

The second issue I wish to raise concerns the roll-out of the modular building. My understanding is if one does this, one still must put in all the services, such as broadband, sewerage systems, water supplies and car parking, at an early stage if one wishes to build a large unit for the long term. Will this not entail spending a lot of money initially to put in the services? How is it intended to deal with that?

My third issue reverts to the point Deputy Mitchell O'Connor raised and is about access. I visited the Mater hospital recently for the launch of a new project and was struck by the fact that more than 4,000 staff members work there. My point is about people getting to the site, the issue of parking and the lack of public transport when trying to get there. Consequently, when a site is being identified, one must ensure there is access to public transport. How will that point be dealt with? It is not merely public transport from the point of view of patients or visitors but also from the perspective of staff members. For instance, I recently spoke to someone who works in Cork University Hospital and who now is inside the hospital by 7 a.m. to secure a parking space, even though work does not start until 8 a.m. This person tends to come in at 7 a.m. to park and have breakfast inside the hospital rather than having it at home. This is a big issue for staff members, and in the absence of a proper public transport service to the hospital, how will it be dealt with if staff members believe they must drive to the site to get there? In identifying the site, the manner in which this issue is dealt with will be important. Obviously, another important issue concerns the access of the university and its involvement in any unit.

The big issue for all members and for the two voluntary hospitals, namely, the South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital and the Mercy University Hospital, is about funding for services these hospitals wish to continue to provide. In respect of South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital in particular, I refer to ear, nose and throat, ENT, dermatology and oncology services. How does one accommodate the fact that funding must be provided to them for the next ten to 15 years in order that they can continue to provide an up-to-date service while at the same time developing this other modular structure that has been proposed? I refer in particular to dermatology and note the dermatology service in the South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital is handling double the numbers being dealt with by St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin. Despite this, I have heard of one secretary who has a desk under the stairs and people are sitting on the stairs while waiting for clinics because there is not enough room in the waiting rooms. Should people put up with this for the next ten to 15 years or should an attempt be made to improve services while at the same time putting forward this proposal? It is a case of how both are done at the same time and it is one thing about which I am concerned in dealing with this issue.