Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I fully accept that this is always a major challenge. My colleague is right about the need for long-term planning. The standard is 60 beds per 1 million population. Therefore, in real terms, we do not have a sufficient number of beds. About 20 years ago there was a proposal to develop a unit in Cork. We need to consider the long-term. I agree with Senator Victor Boyhan on trying to fast-track the reopening of six beds. That is something we should try to sort out immediately. As part of Project 2040, it is proposed to build new hospitals. The programme needs to include the building of a second facility in the southern region to provide rehabilitation services for people who have suffered major injuries.

On Saturday I attended a function to raise funds for a person who had suffered a serious injury during the recent snow storm. He is in a rehabilitation facility in Dún Laoghaire and being looked after very well. A number of people from Cork attended the function. There are challenges for persons who want to visit family members in Dún Laoghaire. If we were to start planning now, it would be a number of years before things were up and running. We should start planning now and not wait until a new facility has been opened.

I welcome the new development. In fairness to the Government, it allocated money for the development of a new facility.The best of facilities will be provided and that is long overdue. We must do a great deal more long-term planning in this area. It should be remembered that we have quite a number of people who are on the waiting list and who can make no progress. They are in hospital as it is and occupying beds which are needed by others on waiting lists. If we have insufficient numbers of beds in the rehabilitation unit, the speed of recovery is further delayed. It is important to do more long-term planning, but in the meantime we must prioritise this issue to ensure we have all of the beds which can be opened and funded. We must also ensure we have an adequate number of staff for those beds.