The Health Service Executive (HSE) has said that while Ely Hospital in Wexford does not provide a list of after-hours emergency social services numbers, there are 24-hour medical personnel who can be contacted to deal with suicidal patients.
The HSE was reacting to an inquest into the death of a young woman who drowned along with her two children after she tried to seek help from Ely Hospital but was told that social services were not available at that time.
Sharon Grace (28), Mikahla (4) and Abby (3) died off Kaats Strand in Wexford in April 2005.
Wexford Coroner's Court heard yesterday that Ely Hospital still did not provide emergency social services numbers.
A HSE spokeswoman said a 24-hour emergency number for a clinical nurse specialist based at Wexford General Hospital was available at Ely.
Other emergency numbers were also available for the hospital, she added.
While the self-harm intervention counselling service in Wexford was only open from 9am to 5pm, an emergency number for a 24-hour Caredoc GP was available, the spokeswoman said.
Fine Gael spokesman on health Liam Twomey said yesterday all hospitals in Ireland should have access to numbers for emergency social services.
"It's absolutely awful that this lady and her two children lost their lives because of a phone number. "This case is a tragedy for everyone involved."
Increased Government resources were needed to provide better care for people with suicidal tendencies, he said.
Ely Hospital was unavailable for comment last night.