Tom Morrissey (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State. I raised this motion on the Adjournment because I became aware of this problem with MRSA recently when a person I know suffered from it. I understand that it is quite prevalent in hospitals and is an ongoing concern within hospitals countrywide.

The source of it is hard to understand, but the recuperating process for patients who get this bug is quite serious. It is not exactly life-threatening, but it certainly extends their stay in hospital and, therefore, does not free up beds for people who might wish to enter hospital for surgical procedures. I ask the Minister to give us whatever information the Department has on the prevalence of MRSA and on what actions are taken in hospitals, particularly in regard to geriatric patients coming from a district hospital to a surgical hospital for procedures to ensure that it is not carried among that population cohort.