Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The HSE is also in discussions with other current and prospective private nursing home providers with a view to securing beds to allow additional discharges from hospitals. Most are private but one cannot be certain about them because they are not in the hands of the State. It should be noted that, in respect of addressing the problem of delayed discharges in acute hospitals, approximately 1,088 older patients have been subject to placement to date. I am afraid we are talking about many people and dealing with 50, 60 or 70 will not solve the problem. Looking at the figures, I do not know whether 200 beds at St. Mary's Hospital, mainly for the geriatric unit, and 100 beds in Raheny will solve it either.

See this speech in context