Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 810: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the degree to which the number of hospital beds now available is adequate or otherwise to meet the population needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30021/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In 2001, the year of the publication of Health Strategy, the average number of in-patient beds and day places available for treatment of patients in the 53 public acute hospitals was 12,145. At the end of 2005, this figure had increased by 1204 to a total of 13,349, involving an additional 724 in-patient beds and 480 day places. In addition, a further 450 acute beds/day places are in various stages of planning and development under the Health Service Executive's Capital Plans.

In July 2005, I announced an initiative to have private hospitals built on the campuses of public hospitals. This is designed to enable up to 1,000 beds in public hospitals, which are currently used by private patients, to be re-designated for use by public patients. The HSE is currently engaged in a procurement process with the private sector to build and operate private hospitals on 10 public hospital sites. All of these additional in-patient beds/day places will mean that this Government's commitment in the Health Strategy to increase total acute hospital capacity is well on the way to completion. In the light of the progress made to date and following discussions between the HSE and my Department, it has been decided to carry out a review of our acute hospital bed requirements up to the year 2020.