Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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137. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which he remains satisfied with the adequacy of the public hospital bed complement and that relevant staff are available throughout the public health sector to meet the challenges of the coming winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50825/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Health, I recognise that hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. It is against this background that the Health Service Capacity Review recommended an increase in acute hospitals beds of over 2,600 by 2031 to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.

Furthermore, as many hospitals are running at over 95% bed occupancy rates, the Review indicated that an additional 1,260 beds in the system would be required to bring occupancy rates down to 85% in line with international norms. Increasing capacity is therefore a Government priority. Over the past 12 months, an additional 240 beds have been opened and a further 78 additional beds are planned for early 2019.

The Winter Plan, which was endorsed by the Emergency Department Task Force at its meeting on 26 November, is due to be published on 6 December. The Winter Plan will also seek to increase capacity and my Department is in discussions with the HSE, in the context of the National Service Plan 2019, to identify the sites for investment and the associated number of beds, as part of an agreed capacity programme for 2019.

In terms of winter preparedness, Hospital Groups and Community Healthcare Organisations were asked by the HSE in June 2018 to develop robust and integrated winter plans at site, group and community levels. These integrated Plans, which have been reviewed by the HSE, underpin the 2018/19 Winter Plan and address preparedness under the headings of Planning and Escalation, Operational Management of Patient Flow and Maintaining Public Health. Planning and escalation encompasses integrated cross-divisional activity plans for winter months and includes staffing capacity plans and rosters.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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138. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a new ear, nose and throat service for persons in the mid-west region at Ennis General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50609/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.