Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the Minister of State who spoke on this matter on 9 October 2003. If the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, and his Ministers of State, Deputies Lenihan and Callely, were subject to penalty points on this debacle they would be long off the road and their ministerial cars would have been taken from them. Equally if they were contestants in this weekend's Eurovision Song Contest their score would be "nul point" for failing to manage public resources properly. A total of €105 million has been spent on the new building and the new wing for Blanchardstown hospital. Despite being ready for more than nine months, beyond an extended snag list period the new, state-of-the-art accident and emergency unit remains empty while staff work next door in prefabs that would shame a developing country.

The new operating theatres, costing many millions of euro, lie dark and unused as do the intensive care unit and many of the new surgical beds. Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 and the areas of County Meath served by James Connolly Memorial Hospital are among the fastest growing areas in Western Europe. The latest consequence of the failure to commission fully the new buildings in the hospital is that other hospital facilities are under severe strain. For example, since yesterday the Northern Area Health Board refuses to clarify the future of the drug dispensing and treatment service at James Connolly Memorial Hospital for people with drug addiction.

This drugs dispensing service may be transferred to the Mountview health centre in the heart of Lohunda and Mountview parish. The health board seems to be about to pull community welfare staff out of this building and instead convert the building to a drugs treatment centre for the whole of Dublin 15. This is despite the fact that the Mountview health centre is located in a spot notorious for anti-social behaviour and vandalism, is beside a primary school, two youth clubs, a neighbourhood family centre and the local church. Were the new hospital building to be fully opened, there would be no need to relocate the drug dispensing services which have been carried on for several years successfully in the grounds of James Connolly Memorial Hospital. I was one of the politicians who negotiated that extremely successful arrangement with the community and now it is to be upended because of this Government's total failure of management and ineptitude.

On 9 October, 2003, the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, speaking on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, promised that the new facilities would be open within a matter of months and he said, in good faith:

The Eastern Regional Health Authority, Northern Area Health Board and management of James Connolly Memorial Hospital are also finalising arrangements to transfer existing accident and emergency services to the new facility upon its anticipated completion in November. I understand the completion date is within four weeks. We expect the building will be in use in November.

To date, there is one small department dealing with rheumatology and a couple of medical beds open simply for the optics. They are welcome but the rest of the building lies unused. I want the Minister of State to apologise on behalf of his senior Minister to the people of Blanchardstown and Dublin 15 for such a blatant mis-statement of the truth. Last week the Government acknowledged the waste of €52 million on the e-voting debacle. It is outrageous that elderly people are waiting on trollies in James Connolly Memorial Hospital and that in last week's report of the treatment purchase fund, the James Connolly Memorial Hospital is listed as one of the four hospital black spots for waiting lists in the Dublin area.

The dedicated staff of doctors and nurses there have said over and over again, and as recently as last week in response to that report that many hundreds of new procedures could be performed if the theatres, ICU and surgical beds in the new unit were fully commissioned. Fianna Fáil and the PDs have refused to commission these desperately needed facilities for the sake of a €5 million operating deficit. Ironically, €1 million of this deficit arises from a "fine" imposed on the hospital for lack of efficiency in the turnover of patients. We are living in Alice in Wonderland when a hospital housed in Dickensian conditions can be fined for inefficiency. I thought Fianna Fáil was so clever at politicking that the Minister for State would be out with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health and Children cutting the ribbon on the new hospital. It would be a political stroke but I would have accepted it. The Minister of State does not seem to be able or willing in this case to perform that stroke. It is a disgrace.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Deputy Burton has responded to her final comments about political strokes. It is not our business to trade in that fashion.

I am pleased to have an opportunity to respond to the debate and to put on record the innovation, commitment and dedication of those involved in the health board in driving forward the project for the development of James Connolly Memorial Hospital. Many other people had an opportunity to develop this hospital but failed to do so. The hospital provides acute medical and surgical services to the catchment area of Dublin north west, north Kildare and south County Meath, which has a population in excess of 250,000. There are currently 348 beds at the hospital, 110 of which are extended care beds, and some 1,000 staff are involved in the provision and delivery of excellent professional services.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In Third World conditions.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Accident and emergency services are provided in James Connolly Memorial Hospital 365 days a year on a 24 hour basis as part of the eastern accident and emergency service regional network.

The major development at the hospital is being jointly funded by the Northern Area Health Board, through the sale of surplus lands, and the Department. The projected full project cost of the development in the hospital is over €100 million.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Some €105 million has been spent to date.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Deputy Burton stated that only a small part of the unit is utilised and the rest lies idle. The information I have available——

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I was out there yesterday and——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Deputy Burton should allow the Minister of State to speak without interruption.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The coronary care unit, formerly located in unit 7, has already moved to the new hospital together with 35 medical-cardiac beds. In addition, the therapeutic psychiatry of old age unit has moved to its new location on the ground floor of the new facility. The rheumatology service has also transferred to the new building.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I mentioned that earlier.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That is the only one to which the Deputy referred.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is not in order for Deputy Burton to go beyond the time allotted and then to try to take the Minister of State's time as well. I will adjourn the House if she interrupts once more.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

When fully commissioned the capacity of the hospital will be significantly increased with the provision, for example, of two additional theatres, 12 extra beds, including ten day beds and two intensive care unit-coronary care unit beds, a new and expanded accident and emergency department and a new acute psychiatry unit.

The further commissioning of the development is under consideration by the Eastern Regional Health Authority, in consultation with the Department. As one would expect, it is my desire, and that of my ministerial colleagues, to progress the commissioning of all the facilities involved in this significant investment of €105 million as quickly as possible.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

One year later.