James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of outpatient attendances for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15060/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested in relation to outpatient attendance is currently being collected and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of inpatient admissions for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15061/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Information in respect of in-patient discharges from the HIPE system for the period 2003 to 2008 is as follows:

Source: Discharges: Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE)

The equivalent information from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) in respect of 2009 is not yet available. Data from the HSE indicates that the out-turn for 2009 was 593,359 in-patient discharges.

Hospital activity in relation to in-patients needs to be taken together with day case activity to give a true indication of services provided. The number of day cases carried out in the public hospital system has increased from 273,000 in 2000 to an estimated 679,000 in 2009. The combined number of in-patient and day case discharges is estimated to be about 3% greater than the equivalent in 2008.