Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she is taking to eliminate the surge of the MRSA bug in hospitals throughout the country resulting in many patients contracting the MRSA bug; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22090/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy will be aware that operational issues in relation to the services provided by acute hospitals now rest with the Health Service Executive.

Effective infection control measures, including environmental cleanliness and hand hygiene, are central to the control of hospital acquired Infections, including drug-resistant organisms such as MRSA. Improving the standards of cleanliness in hospitals is a priority. One of the specific actions identified in the ten-point plan to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services refers to the need to address this particular issue.

The national hospitals office has engaged external consultants to carry out an independent hygiene audit of hospitals this summer. The results of the audit will be made public and are expected to inform the national standards for infection control and cleaning. A SARI infection control sub-committee has updated the 1995 national guidelines for the control and prevention of MRSA in hospitals and in the community. The key recommendations cover such areas as environmental cleanliness, bed occupancy levels, isolation facilities, hand hygiene, appropriate antibiotic use and protocols for the screening and detection of MRSA. These guidelines are expected to be published shortly.