Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking these Adjournment matters on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

The provision of services at the Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ennis, and across the mid-west region in general is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. Significant developments to enhance the services at the Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ennis, have taken place over the past few years.

The HSE advises that the staffing and budget of Ennis has increased significantly. The revenue for the hospital has increased from a budget of €14.2 million in 2001 to €23 million in 2007. Staffing at the hospital has risen from 250 in 2001 to 289 in 2007.

The additional staffing includes a consultant surgeon, consultant anaesthetists and an accident and emergency consultant with four sessions per week at the hospital. In addition, four emergency care physicians have been employed on a seven-day a week basis to provide medical cover to the accident and emergency department.

Additional nursing, non-nursing, and paramedical staff, have also been appointed. These include extra infection control nurses, a heart failure nurse, as well as general nursing staff, medical scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists. A cardiac rehabilitation department has also been set up. A co-ordinator, cardiac nurse, senior cardiac technician and basic cardiac technician have been employed to provide this service.

The Health Service Executive has indicated that further developments at Ennis include a major upgrading of electrical capacity and the radiology department which is currently under way at a cost of €750,000; the opening of a new admissions lounge following the relocation of the physiotherapy department at a cost of €200,000——

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