Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients dealt with or procedures provided at or through the entire public and private hospital sectors in each of the past five years to date; the costs associated therewith through public funding or private health insurance annually during his period in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20734/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Activity data in private hospitals is not collected or verified by the Department of Health and Children or by the HSE. In relation to public acute hospital activity I attach in tabular format the information sought by the Deputy.

* = Provisional figure for 2008

** = From 2006 the HIPE system includes data on day case patients admitted for dialysis in dedicated dialysis units

*** = The data for 2009 is provisional and has yet to be validated

Information on the costs associated with these activity headings is not available within my Department. I therefore regret that due to industrial action in the Health Service Executive I am not in a position to provide a substantive response on this issue.

In relation to any comparison between the costs of public and private hospitals as regards costs or claims, it should be noted that I do not have any role in relation to the day-to-day operation of private hospitals and private health insurers. The negotiation of fees between private hospitals and health insurance providers is a commercial matter for the parties themselves. However, the Health Insurance Authority has provided some information for the health insurance market as a whole which relates to all private health insurance business, not just hospital costs.

In 1998, claims incurred per insured person in VHI (which constituted almost the entire market at the time), was €287. In 2008, (the latest year for which the Financial Regulator has published data), the incurred claims per insured person in the market was €624. This equates to an annualised increase over the 10 year period of 8.1% per annum.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the future of St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin; the decisions taken to date which are ultimately likely to have a lasting impact on the hospital, its future and location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20735/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Under the National Plan for Radiation Oncology (NPRO), there will be a network of four radiotherapy centres and two satellite centres by 2014. The four main centres will be located at Beaumont, St James's, Cork and Galway plus two satellite centres at Limerick and Waterford. It is intended that services at the existing facility in St Luke's in Dublin will have transferred in full to Beaumont and St James's by the end of 2014. This decision is based on expert advice and is designed to ensure that radiation oncology is integrated with all other aspects of cancer care, including surgery and medical oncology. This is in line with best international practice.

The Board of St. Luke's Hospital and its Executive Management Team are fully committed to supporting the Government's decision in relation to the development of radiation oncology and a Transition Team has been established to oversee developments.

Phase 1 of the NPRO involves the construction of new facilities at St. James's Hospital and Beaumont Hospital and is currently under way and on target for completion by the end of this year. Some staff and resources will transfer from St Luke's to the new centres in the latter half of this year. St Luke's will continue to provide radiation oncology services for the period up to the completion of the NPRO in 2014. During this period St Luke's will, together with the new facilities, form a Radiation Oncology Network for Dublin and the East. To facilitate the operation of the Network, St Luke's will be incorporated into the HSE from July this year.

These developments will ensure increased radiation oncology capacity in the Dublin and Eastern region from the end of this year. Additional linear accelerators were also provided at St Luke's in 2008 in order to provide sufficient capacity in the interim before completion of the NPRO in 2014.

No decisions have yet been taken in relation to the future use of the site and facilities at St. Luke's. However, I am anxious to ensure that these resources are utilised in the best interest of the health services. I understand that the Friends of St. Luke's are preparing a report on possible future uses of the site and facilities and I hope to receive a copy of this report shortly.