asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement regarding the financing of redundancies in the Waterford County and City Infirmary; whether it will be from his Department or the special fund for redundancies in the State and public service as mentioned by the Minister for Finance.

35.

asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that medical opinion is against the closure of the County and City Infirmary in Waterford as it will cause a gross inadequacy for acute operations and will cost lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 35 together.

The Waterford area will continue to receive an excellent hospital service despite the regrettable closure of the county and city infirmary there, since additional beds and support facilities are being made available in Ardkeen Regional Hospital, Waterford, to cope with the increased demand. In addition, a completely new hospital is currently under construction at Ardkeen. This development will facilitate the provision of regional hospital services of the highest standard in the south east.

The special fund for the financing of redundancies in the public sector will apply only from 1988 onwards. In terms of redundancies which arise this year, additional funding will be made available to agencies to finance the application of the redundancy terms.

Initially I want to refer to the last part of the Minister's reply because it has to do with Question No. 15. Will the Minister give the source of the funding of the redundancies in question and indicate what they will amount to.

It is not possible to say at this stage what exactly redundancies will amount to in relation to Waterford County and City Infirmary. It depends on the number of staff who will be redeployed. It is intended that the 35 student nurses would transfer to Ardkeen Hospital to complete their training and that redeployment will be offered to a number of the staff who are at present in the Waterford infirmary.

Can the Minister tell me the terms of the redundancy? If he cannot tell me now when will they be available? When can he communicate those terms to me?

I will communicate with the Deputy about the terms of redundancy. I understand that negotiations are proceeding in the usual way with the representatives of the staff and officials of my Department.

As regards Question No. 35, did the Minister say that additional beds have been provided in Ardkeen to offset the loss of beds due to the impending closure of the infirmary? If so, what is the total number.

I am sure the Deputy is aware that 45 beds are at present closed in Ardkeen Hospital and that in total 41 beds were in service in the Waterford County and City Infirmary. It is intended to open sufficient beds in Ardkeen to cater for the beds that were closed in the Waterford infirmary.

I find that difficult to believe because the experts in Ardkeen who jointly service Ardkeen and the infirmary maintain that there are no additional beds or facilities available within Ardkeen and that when the infirmary will close one-third of all beds for acute cases involved in operations will be surrendered or taken——

I am awaiting a question, Deputy.

What will the number of beds be and what is it at present for people with acute operations both in Ardkeen and the infirmary, and what will it be in Ardkeen when the infirmary is closed? That is the information I am seeking.

As I have told the Deputy, 45 beds have been closed for some time in Ardkeen Hospital and 41 beds are at place in the Waterford County and City Infirmary. It is proposed to open sufficient beds out of the 45 that are closed to cater for the needs of the people who would normally attend the Waterford County and City Infirmary.

Question No. 16, please.

On the same question——

On this Question, appertaining to Waterford.

Appertaining to the Minister's reply.

I cannot allow an extension of this question which deals specifically with matters appertaining to Waterford County and City Infirmary.

Will the Minister broaden it and indicate that the programme for redundancy——

The Chair is obliged to have regard to the subject matter of the question before him.