Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will clarify the position regarding reports of Beaumont Hospital Dublin closing two wards of 60 beds and confirm if this is so; the reason the decision was necessary; the budget to the hospital in 2009 and 2010; the number of beds in the hospital and make up of same; the number of beds allocated to consultants for private use; the number of high dependancy or ICU beds; the current waiting list for surgery and her views on the comment by senior staff that they are only catering for emergencies and cancer; when a person (details supplied) who is awaiting an operation will receive surgery. [21238/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I have been assured that Beaumont Hospital will meet its service plan targets for 2010. These involve treating the same number of patients this year as last but with less reliance on in-patient stays. In turn this will involve reducing inappropriate hospital admissions, more same day of surgery admissions, more day care cases, earlier discharges and reductions in waiting times for elective surgery. The planned changes announced by Beaumont are designed to allow it deliver its service plan targets while remaining within budget. For example, the increase in day case activity and the reduction in beds occupied by long-stay patients means the hospital can treat the same number of patients as previously with less in-patient beds. Beaumont has also assured my Department that neurosurgery, transplantation and cancer services will not be affected by the changes. I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to the remainder of your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.