Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

It is a factor. If swine flu patients are taking up over 300 beds and over 70 ICU beds, it is a factor. It is a bigger factor this week than it was last week because we have seen a doubling of swine flu incidents this week over last week. It has been doubling each week for the past number of weeks and there will be a press conference later today to review that.

Among the issues identified by the Comptroller and Auditor General, and everybody else who has looked at this issue, is the need for senior clinicians in the hospital seven days a week, particularly at weekends because there was a high incidence of those who were in hospital on Friday still being there on Monday. That is being put into effect. That is possible, both under the new consultant contract and some other issues to do with the Croke Park agreement which are crucial to staff working differently, particularly as far as diagnostics are concerned. Many patients end up waiting an unacceptable time in the emergency department because they cannot access diagnostics speedily, particularly at night and over the weekends. I look forward to some of the initiatives that have been tabled by the management of the HSE in the context of the Croke Park agreement being agreed in order to address some of those issues.

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