Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident and emergency department in Naas General Hospital, County Kildare, and the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7551/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In Naas General Hospital the first five weeks of 2013, compared to same period in 2011, there has been a 52% decrease in the number of patients waiting on trolleys., i.e., the number of patients on trolleys has more than halved.

Immediately following my appointment, I set out to address the issues which have been causing unacceptable delays in patients being treated in our hospitals. I established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), as set out in the Programme for Government. The SDU is working closely with hospitals to unblock access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. Since its establishment, there have been significant improvements in waiting times for unscheduled care, against a background of reduced funding for health, reconfiguration of services, a very challenging socio-economic climate, a growing number of older people and an overall increase in life expectancy.