Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I disagree with Deputy Ó Caoláin. At 8 a.m. today the HSE TrolleyGAR system indicated that nationally 355 patients were waiting on trolleys in acute hospitals, which admittedly is too many, but it is down from 411 last week and 463 on this day last year. There is no doubt that the number is too high and the HSE's special delivery unit continues to work with all hospitals to identify what can be made to improve patient flow. Emergency departments under pressure this morning included University Hospital Galway and Cork University Hospital, which have both been identified as particular priority sites under the Department's winter initiative. Each site has a specific plan in place and is undertaking mitigating actions that can improve the situation. The Minister visited Galway last week.

Everyone in the country has this vision of prefabricated buildings as being what were supplied in schools 40 years ago and which rotted after a particular time. The Minister for Health visited Mayo General Hospital and saw the structure of the existing emergency department. In consultation with the staff, a modular building in close proximity to the existing emergency department presents the opportunity to relieve all the pressure and stress experienced and the staff will be very happy with that. The terms "prefabricated building" and "modular building" hark back to a time when prefabricated houses were provided throughout the country and prefabricated buildings were in schools. The world has changed and so has the quality of the accommodation.

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