asked the Minister for Health when he will ensure that all space in the fever hospital, New Ross, County Wexford, will be used for geriatrics in a county where there is a long waiting list for the admission of such patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The question of the utilisation of the fever hospital, New Ross is a matter for the South Eastern Health Board in the first instance. The board's plan for the future of the fever hospital is that it will be used mainly for elderly patients. It is the board's intention to retain a limited isolation service on the first floor of the hospital and to make the remainder of this floor available for expanded geriatric accommodation as soon as financial circumstances permit. The ground floor of the hospital is being used to accommodate elderly patients.

Is the Minister aware that a considerable amount of money was expended developing the first floor of the fever hospital, which is now completely idle? When is it likely that the longest patients in the area will be able to use these facilities?

There are 33 persons currently awaiting admission to geriatric accommodation in the whole of Wexford. I believe the best way to deal with the geriatric services is through the community, not necessarily by providing extra beds. That will be my policy. We should try to keep these people in the community as long as possible. That should be our way forward.

Accepting the Minister's view that patients should be maintained at home as long as possible, would he concede that there are a considerable number of geriatric patients who require hospitalisation on a long-term basis? It seems very bad policy to have this hospital in New Ross lying idle while there are patients waiting to get into hospital. When does the Minister intend doing something about this?

There are 469 longstay beds in the Wexford district. That is well in line with the general guidelines for the population as a whole. I am not in a position to say when this hospital will be in full use, but given these circumstances there is not a big backlog of patients in Wexford. As I said, I propose to try to involve the community caring for these people. That is the way forward, rather than rushing in to provide beds. If that is done quickly we will be moving in the right direction.

Does the Minister accept that some patients have to be hospitalised?

Yes. There are 469 beds in the area——

There are still some patients in Wexford who need hospitalisation.

I have no doubt that that is so, but that is a problem throughout the country. I believe it is time we had another look at this situation. I admit there are problems but we should not be blinkered, going down the same road all the time. We should be looking in other directions.