Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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880. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons on hospital trolleys in all hospitals in the Dublin north east region, including Cavan and Monaghan Hospital, in each month since 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36553/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Minister fully acknowledges the distress for patients and their families, caused by overcrowded conditions in some of our hospital EDs and is committed to tackling overcrowding in EDs, which impacts on patients and staff working on the frontline.

This year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly in the over-75 age group. By the end of July 2018, total attendances were up 3.5% and admissions up 1.6%, compared to the same period in 2017. For those over 75, in the first 7 months of the year, attendances rose by 5.6% and admissions by 5.2%, compared to the same period in 2017. This increased level of demand was further exacerbated by the severe weather associated with Storm Emma earlier this year.

This growth in demand is well ahead of population growth and reflects international evidence that emergency department demand is driven by more than demographic factors.

In relation to the specific question raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to the Deputy respond directly.