Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 117: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to increase the number of public long stay beds; the projected timetable for implementation of the proposals; if the necessary finance to fund these proposals has been approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9430/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware there is a commitment in the national health strategy to provide 1,370 additional assessment and rehabilitation beds and 600 additional day hospital beds with facilities encompassing specialist areas such as falls, osteoporosis treatment, fracture prevention, Parkinson's disease, stroke prevention, heart failure and continence promotion clinics. In addition the strategy proposed the provision of an extra 5,600 extended care community nursing unit places over a seven year period which will include provision for people with dementia. Provision of the above facilities was contingent on the allocation of the necessary resources.

On the publication of the Estimates for 2005 the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children announced a ten point plan to relieve ongoing pressure on acute hospital beds and accident and emergency services. Under this plan there are three specific proposals relating to services for older people: an additional 500 older people are to receive intermediate care for up to six weeks in the private sector; 100 high dependency patients are to be transferred from the acute hospitals to private nursing home care; and the home care package scheme is to be expanded to support 500 additional older people who have been discharged from the acute hospital sector to their own home.

The HSE has advertised and invited tenders from interested parties to provide the above services and these are currently being evaluated.