Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

I accept what the Deputy said about the shortage of rehabilitation facilities. Acute rehabilitation could be provided in a more localised environment and an enormous amount of work has been done on requirements at both national and local levels. Fantastic rehabilitation facilities have been developed in the mid-west for stroke and other patients in order to bring them home and get them better more quickly. I accept that deficits remain to be addressed, however.

The fair deal scheme has reduced by 33% the number of delayed discharges in the Dublin area. I hope to see the scheme being expedited over the latter months of this year and early 2011. The system is up and running and over 12,000 people have availed of it because people who could be in long-term care continue to occupy hospital beds.

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