Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 262: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in view of recent questions raised by representatives of the ESRI regarding the efficiency of the State paying the full cost of private hospital treatment for public patients through the national treatment purchase fund, her plans to phase out this practice through the provision of adequate public inpatient hospital beds; in the absence of such plans, if she will commit to an increase in inpatient beds and services in the public healthcare system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26499/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, was established as one of the key actions for dealing with public hospital waiting lists arising from the health strategy. It is used for the purpose of treating public patients who have been waiting longest for surgery. Up to the end of September approximately 36,000 patients have had treatment arranged for them by the NTPF. It is now the case that, in most instances, anyone waiting more than three months will be facilitated by the fund.

While the majority of procedures funded by the NTPF to date have been carried out in private hospitals in Ireland, my Department has been informed by the NTPF that the prices negotiated by the NTPF compare favourably with the comparative benchmarks available for the costs of the vast majority of procedures.

On foot of the commitment in the health strategy, funding has been provided to open an additional 900 inpatient beds and day places in acute hospitals. Some 797 beds are in place and the Health Service Executive has informed my Department that the remaining 103 beds or places will come on stream during the coming months.

It should be noted that acute hospital activity has increased significantly in recent years. There were over one million inpatient and day case discharges from acute hospitals in 2004, representing an increase of approximately 33% since 1997.

A policy direction has recently issued to the HSE which is aimed at freeing up additional beds for public patients in public hospitals through the development of private hospital facilities on public hospital sites. My Department, in conjunction with the HSE, will be reviewing public capacity requirements in the acute hospital sector in the light of developments since the health strategy and the progress of this initiative.