HSE figures reveal that 463 beds are currently unavailable in Dublin Hospitals because of delayed discharge. This is a 47% increase since January with a further 148 beds unavailable.
Delayed discharge is when someone who is capable of leaving hospital after an operation can’t. This is caused mainly by a lack of convalescent beds and community based supports.

 
The worst Hospitals affected are:
• Connolly: 20% Delayed Discharge
• Beaumont: 18% Delayed Discharge
• St. James’s: 18% Delayed Discharge

Delayed discharge is contributing to long waiting times for operations, for access to A & E, and for appointments with consultants. It is also leaving enormously expensive theatres under used, while patients have to wait months in discomfort and worry for operations.

An additional 14,800 patients could be treated if delayed discharge was eradicated. This would reduce the number of people waiting longer than 6 months for an operation by 80%.

Currently 4 out of every 5 patients have to wait longer than 6 hours to be treated in Accident and Emergency in Dublin Hospitals. The problem is worst in Beaumont where only 1 in 10 people are seen on time. Southside Hospital St. James’s is best in Dublin where half of patients are seen within 6 hours. The HSE’s target is that no one should wait longer than 6 hours to be treated.

These figures reveal the perverse way that the Irish health care system operates, where not enough convalescents care is provided for patients who no longer need hospital accommodation. Providing this care would be far cheaper than providing ongoing care in an acute hospital,

Discharge of patients is going to get worse over the next 6 months:
• The home care package has been frozen so no new patients will get assistance.
• No new beds are being taken on by the HSE.

The freeze will continue until the Government’s “Fair Deal” scheme finally comes into operation in October, but this problem has risen by almost 50% over a 3 month period, and may well have doubled again by next October.

A brand new strategy is needed. The six hospitals are already €8.2 Million over Budget. Fine Gael’s strategy is for money to follow the patient so that patients can be treated in the most suitable environment, in the most cost effective way.

A child can really get a head start at Pre School which will stay with them throughout their education. To work, the new scheme will have to take into account teachers who are better qualified, and it will have to look at the higher costs in Dublin. Otherwise, both schools and children in North Dublin will suffer.

The new free pre school scheme to replace the Early Childhood Supplement from December is running into teething problems. I have talked to Montessori and childcare schools in Clontarf, Drumcondra, Artane, Donaghmede, Beaumont, and across the constituency:

• Some providers say they can’t deliver the service at €4.30 per hour, particularly in Dublin where costs are much higher.

• Montessori type schools who pay qualified teachers complain the scheme makes no allowance for these higher paid people.

• The subsidy is rigidly tied to a core 15 hours per week (11¼ hours in childcare) of activities. Many schools rely on longer hours to get by.

Frustratingly the Minister refuses to be drawn on how he arrived at the costing of €4.30 per hour. Neither can he say how many schools will take part. This creates huge uncertainty. Parents don’t know what schools will participate, yet are expected to sign their kids up for available places in September.

The Government need to establish a quality pre school scheme which has the potential to give our kids a real head start in life.

Note:

The Early Childhood Payment of €1100 per year for 6 years is being replaced by an offer to pay for children in Pre School for a maximum of 15 months. The government say that 70,000 eligible children (or 90%) will participate.

The free pre school service will allow kids in play school (3 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 38 weeks) and child care (2 hours 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 50 weeks) to get pre school teaching from next January. Children aged between 3 years and 3 months and 4 years and 6 months in September are eligible. Exceptions will be allowed if the HSE judge that a child has a special need or because of the recruitment policy of a local primary school. Additional levies are acceptable only if extra services are provided (i.e. longer hours).

Housing in Donnycarney and the local school have been flooded for the second time in less than a year. This is simply not acceptable.

I have contacted Dublin City Council and can confirm that the council are drawing up a set of proposals to address the problem of flooding. The measures under consideration include:

• Additional storage capacity at DCU, upstream, to reduce the volume of water hitting the Wad system after heavy rainfall.
• New piping which would require paying certain rights of way at the school and in the Golf Club, and would increase the capacity of the system.
• Some remedial works around the flooded areas that would improve the flow and facilitate the release of water.

While some of the small remedial work can be done immediately, the total cost of the job would be €3-4 million and will require monies from the Office of Public Works and the Department of Environment. Smaller jobs have been considered but it might only serve to displace the flooding problem to another location.

I have also been in touch with the Flooding Section at the Office of Public Works. They are willing to work with the Council to ensure that robust systems are put in place to prevent flooding in future. The Council hope to have proposals ready by the end of the month. The OPW are positive about their ability to finance the work which involves the Riverwad for which they have responsibility.

Issues that would have to be overcome to get the work through would obviously include compulsory rights of entry over the properties of those along the route. It would also have to be established whether environmental assessment requirements would have to be met.

I have also been in touch with Martin Mansergh T.D., Minister of State in the Office of Public Works. He visited the area last year when flooding happened before. He recognises that a repeat flood so soon is not acceptable. He has promised to do his best to see that the situation is addressed as soon as possible. I will keep after all the authorities on this matter.