Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have already read out details on some of the 1,000 extra beds that are being opened across the country and set out the fact that the Minister is awaiting the finalised review report in respect of fair deal. The number of elderly people over 65 years of age this year is 604,000 and that will rise by 100,000 in the next five years to over 700,000. A task force has been established by the Minister to look at the question of delayed discharges and step-down facilities and the issue is being addressed through the opening of 1,000 beds nationally.

As I said to Deputy Martin, this is not the first time we have had letters written by senior medical personnel about the conditions they find in hospitals. Even if one had the money to allocate in the morning, one would still have a problem with the range of available accommodation, which is acutely a problem at Our Lady of Lourdes and the general region there. To deal with delayed discharges, we are opening 1,000 beds, but clearly there are challenges at which the task force is looking. This is the first year in a number of years that there has been an increased allocation in the health Vote and rightly so. The health service plan submitted by the HSE is being implemented.

Trolley numbers are generally higher in the morning. The Minister commented on that this morning. Generally, they reduce substantially during the course of the day and go back up again during the night period. This is a matter that is being focused on as an absolute priority by the task force set up by the Minister and I hope it can be managed effectively in patients' interests in the time ahead.

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