Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Michael McGrath will be aware that the Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive to have the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to have delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of services at the Mercy University Hospital, Cork. Three accident and emergency departments are located in Cork city, at Cork University Hospital, Mercy University Hospital and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital. These units are cross-covered by a team of consultants in emergency medicine.

Funding of €4.7 million for the provision of a new accident and emergency department at the Mercy University Hospital was included in the HSE's capital plan 2006-10. Building work on the new accident and emergency department was completed on schedule in January 2007 and the equipping and commissioning of the new facility was completed by the end of October 2007. The facility consists of a large patient waiting area with a separate paediatric waiting area, a triage area, a three-bay minor treatment area, a ten-bay major treatment area, a two-bay resuscitation room with adjacent X-ray suite and a treatment, therapies and procedures room. The new facility is almost four times larger than the existing unit.

Currently 46 staff are assigned to the existing accident and emergency department at an annual cost of approximately €2.5 million. The staff complement includes the equivalent of 18 full-time nurses, one full-time consultant in emergency medicine, two registrars and seven senior house officers. The functioning of the existing department is underpinned by close working relationships with physiotherapists, social workers, occupational therapists, radiographers, pharmacists and psychiatry and other support services, including chaplains, and security and housekeeping staff.

The original approval for the project included an additional revenue allocation of €400,000. I understand that in January 2007, the Mercy University Hospital submitted an application to the HSE's National Hospitals Office for an additional 24.5 full time staff for the new unit at a cost of almost € 1.5 million. The HSE has indicated that it has been engaged in negotiations with the management at the hospital on the provision of these additional staff to run the new department. In December 2007, both sides agreed to an evaluation of the staffing requirement for the new facility in an effort to advance the issue. This process is under way. As quite a few Cork Deputies are present who are obviously very interested, I want them to know I am hopeful this process will advance matters and enable the opening of this new facility to proceed.

Improving the delivery of accident and emergency services continues to be a top priority for the Government and the Health Service Executive. At national level, significant additional resources have been provided to address the problems which manifest in emergency departments. Among the developments which have taken place are additional public and private long-stay beds, additional home care packages and home help hours, major capital developments in emergency departments, the provision of acute medical assessment units and community intervention teams in Cork, Limerick and Dublin.

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