Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House and welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate, particularly in light of the increase in funding of health services which was noted by my colleagues. Recent OECD statistics suggest that from 1999 to 2004 there was an average increase of approximately 5.2% across the OECD, while Ireland experienced a 9% increase. Some will of course suggest that we did not spend enough on health for many of the years before 1999, which I am sure is an arguable case.

I also welcome the Minister's recent meeting with a group of mayors and Oireachtas Members from County Clare. Deputy Joe Carey, who attended that meeting, is present in the House. Whether he will share my sentiments is another question but I am sure we will hear from him at a later stage.

The Minister set out clearly at that meeting what has been happening with regard to Ennis Hospital. She demonstrated that there has been an increase in the staffing budget over five years, with the budget increasing from €14.2 million in 2001 to in excess of €22 million in 2007. This is extremely welcome and is a vote of confidence in the staff of the hospital and in how it has been managed to ensure it delivers the best possible service to the people of the county. The Minister recently confirmed €40 million for the capital programme at the hospital, which is welcome. As that figure of €40 million refers to 2006 figures, I am sure it will be significantly increased by the time the project is completed.

It is important the HSE, through the Department, seeks to expedite the delivery of capital projects. It erodes public confidence when a project is awaited for a long time and is announced on a number of occasions. By the time it is delivered, public confidence in the facility has been lost and whatever is delivered at that stage is often not accepted. This continues to lead to the perception that there is a weakness in our overall health service delivery.

The type of upgrades which will take place as part of this capital programme, such as the upgrading of the accident and emergency unit, the medical and surgical radiology department, the outpatient department and the day-surgical unit, which will have an increase of 14 beds, are all welcome and demonstrate the massive Government commitment to the delivery of health services to the people of County Clare. Planning permission for the capital project is due in the coming days. I appeal to the Minister, through the HSE, to expedite the construction of the project so local people do not continue to believe it will never happen.

For far too long, there has been a situation where the biggest cry in County Clare from a medical perspective has been associated with the belief that the hospital will close. While the Minister has sought to cast aside that notion on every occasion of which I am aware, I am not sure the people accept her assurances. I accept them, and I know the efforts the Minister is making in this regard.

The Minister also referred to the upgrade of the delivery of accident and emergency services at the hospital with the introduction of emergency care physicians to provide around the clock medical cover, the introduction of consultant sessions, the upgrade of the radiology capacity at the hospital and the revenue funding that has been set aside for the CT scanner. I appeal to the Minister to use what influence she can in trying to ensure a 16-slice CT scanner is provided at the hospital instead of the six-slice scanner referred to in the revenue funding. Work has been done on reducing the waiting list in this area.

The one outstanding issue at the hospital is that of accident and emergency services and the concern for these services in light of the Teamwork report. I appeal to the Minister to bring forward the publication of that report to as near a date as possible so we can have an informed debate on the delivery of future accident and emergency services at the hospital, taking into account the west Clare peninsula and the fact it is such a distance from Limerick General Hospital. We need clarity on this issue and I would welcome a debate at a later stage.

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