Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Dr. Boylan is correct that the number of births increased between 1998 and 2003 by 8%, a large increase. For the preceding 20 years the number of births had been decreasing. There has been a number of meetings between the Department of Health and Children and the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street. The last meeting was held on 22 July this year, when the Minister met the representatives of the National Maternity Hospital.

Proposals were approved at that meeting for interim developments aimed at relieving the infrastructural deficits. The measures are designed to increase capacity in delivery rooms, neonatal, ICU and theatres, as well as improving the postnatal facilities for mothers and babies. The Department of Health and Children, the ERHA and the hospital have progressed the proposals through the hospital project team which has been in place for some time. The Department has approved the appointment of staff to oversee and manage the project and the process of selection of a design team to progress the improvement works at the hospital. The works are under way.

Deputy Higgins's assertion that people have been told to go away is not in line with the facts, either in the past or more recently. The Department is advised that the ERHA has worked closely with all three hospitals to address the pressures caused by the increase in the number of births over the past five years after years of the numbers declining. This affects the Coombe and Rotunda hospitals as well, so the Department is dealing with all three.

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