Taoiseach Bertie Ahern repeated his view that hospital units will have to open for longer hours.
"The old concept that a hospital can work for seven hours a day, while many of its main units have machinery and equipment that costs a huge amount, is a system from the past." It did not work, said Mr Ahern, when people finished at 4pm, 5pm or 5.30pm. "We have asked the unions to engage with us during the summer in real negotiations with a view to extending the hours. We know this will cost money."
He added that in private hospitals, the units started at 6.30am and worked until 8pm or 9pm. "Last night, a friend of mine had a procedure at 8.30pm. This happens all the time. This will have to be done in the public hospitals also and we will have to pay our staff accordingly and, perhaps, buy out old agreements."
The Taoiseach was replying to Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) who said that every winter there were headlines about the number of people spending many hours, or even days, on trolleys in the accident and emergency departments of public hospitals.
"There is a myth that this is only a winter problem. Is the Taoiseach aware that the figures released yesterday by the Irish Nurses' Organisation show that some 202 people were on trolleys in accident and emergency departments on the previous night throughout the State's hospital network?
"All of the 202 people were someone's child, brother or sister, parent or grandparent. The agony for all is obvious."
Mr Ahern said the largest share of expenditure of additional revenues this year was given to health. Over €1 billion was invested in health resources and the capital programme for health included an allocation of €500 million.
