Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy that it is vitally important that all hospitals, not just University Hospital Galway, operate at the capacity required in their catchment areas. It is important that we do everything in our power to accommodate and keep people away from hospitals when possible. In the coming months, at this time of the year, there will be an increase in the number of beds needed. Consideration has been given to retaining one of the existing wards at University Hospital Galway to deal with escalating demand. The business case for the design and planning phase of a new emergency department has been submitted to the HSE and is being considered. Several vacancies will be filled, which will obviously ease pressure. The €40 million in additional funding for the winter preparedness initiative will help to ease it, too.

As Minister of State with responsibility for older people, I know that work is under way in my section to develop a more formalised and structured approach to home help services, which, again, will help to relieve some of the pressure exerted by delayed discharges, not just within University Hospital Galway but also across the board.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Every effort will be made to relieve the pressures she has described.

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