Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I do not need such advice. While I will take advice from the Deputy, I will not take advice from such a doctor.

Some 3 million people use the service and the inpatient services in our hospitals work effectively. Problems exist in approximately 13 of the 53 acute hospitals and we must try to get on top of them. However, there is greater understanding as to how we must do so. There must be more home care and palliative care packages, as well as more people working in the community to prevent the necessity for patients to go to hospital in the first place.

In addition, we must try to provide better services for the elderly and for those who cannot return home on completion of their acute treatment. While there are pressures involved in trying to do so, we are working on them and are putting major efforts into this issue. Many people in the accident and emergency task force are working to do that. This matter is complex, not easy. I have attended meetings in this regard and it is a difficult issue. If the problem were simply a matter of resources, this would be an easy matter to resolve.

Every week, there are approximately 50 new cases in acute hospitals of patients who could leave but cannot go home owing to various circumstances. While such people may not have a medical condition, they might have difficulties in managing on their own or whatever or may be too elderly. We must provide step-down facilities for such people.

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