Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of fully operational inpatient beds in each public acute hospital at the end of 2006; the number of day patient beds in each public acute hospital at the end of 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6231/07]

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 in the 53 public acute hospitals was 12,145. At the end of 2005, this figure had increased by 1,199 to a total of 13,344, involving an additional 719 in-patient beds and 480 day places. This expansion of capacity by 300 beds and places a year on average is one of the fastest in recent decades.

During 2006 the Health Service Executive undertook an extensive survey of capacity across all acute hospitals, including in-patient beds, day beds and other treatment placements, on a speciality by speciality basis. I understand that the HSE intends to publish the results of the survey in March 2007 and to make copies available to members of the Oireachtas.