NEW SPECIALIST beds provided at a cost of more than €6.6 million have been lying empty and unused at two major Galway hospitals since they were put in place last year.
And, despite the intense pressure on beds at University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) and Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, the Minister for Health Mary Harney has given no indication as to when they may open.
Ten new beds that the Government spent €4.6 million on in 2007 are lying idle at UCHG, while three specialist beds installed at Portiuncula Hospital last year costing €2 million are also unused, according to figures obtained by Galway East Fine Gael TD, Deputy Ulick Burke.
Deputy Burke has described as "scandalous" the revelation that the 13 new beds would not be available for use until next year at the earliest.
Six of the beds at UCHG were supplied to the cardiac unit, three beds to the burns unit and one ICU bed. Three beds were installed at Portiuncula's new special care baby unit.
Deputy Burke said: "Minister Harney has said that the 10 beds at University Hospital will not be available to patients in 2008. She has given a vague promise that the three beds at Portiuncula will become available when staff for the unit is secured."
He said it was not acceptable that beds installed in 2007 would not be used until 2009 at the earliest.
"What really annoys me about this happening in UCHG is that there are regularly people lying overnight on trolleys in the accident and emergency department waiting for beds," he said.
