Tánaiste reviews plans to build new Mater Hospital
The Minister for Health, Tánaiste Mary Harney, has indicated that she is reviewing the plans to build a new Mater hospital in Dublin.
Responding to questions about hospital bed numbers in Dublin, she indicated that the proposed new Mater hospital, without any extra beds, just did not make sense.
Ms Harney said she will look at providing more bed places on top of the current number of 556 when the new hospital is constructed.
She also said that she believes Ireland can, in the future, have the best health service anywhere.
She told the Dáil today that funding for the non-acute sector including primary care has not been deferred until 2007.
