Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

Beds will be delivered if they are necessary and not for the sake of it. The analysis done by Dr. Mary Codd, based on demographics, suggested we need 3,000 additional beds by 2011. Over 800 of these were provided up to October of this year.

Professor Drumm made the valid comment that if we had appropriate facilities for the elderly, we would immediately release a substantial number of beds. I stated in an earlier reply to the Deputy that 378 patients in the acute system in the Dublin area could be better placed if alternative facilities, which we are seeking to put in place, were available. This would release a substantial number of beds. With regard to the announcement I made in July on freeing up private beds in public hospitals, the intention is to provide 1,000 beds. There is huge interest in this initiative and I believe it will be successful. That, together with the 450 beds planned for Mullingar Hospital, the Mater Hospital, where 100 beds are planned, and a number of other locations throughout the country, will bring us very close to the target of 3,000 beds. We are optimistic we will achieve that target by 2011.

Professor Drumm's job as chief executive officer of the HSE is to deliver health services. As there is no point making policy that is unnecessary, there must be a close working relationship between the Department and the operational side and policy side of the health service. If it were the case that either more beds or less beds were required, the policy makers would have to bear this in mind and reflect it in any policy decision made. However, as of now, to have a further 3,000 beds by 2011 is the plan.

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