Taoiseach wrong about 900 new hospital beds

Government officials acknowledged yesterday that the Taoiseach "misinterpreted" health statistics last week by announcing 900 new hospital beds had been provided to help alleviate pressure on hospital A&E units.

The latest health figures show 589 out of 900 promised in-patient and day beds have been provided.

The Labour Party yesterday accused Mr Ahern of misleading the Dáil but a Government spokeswoman rejected the claim.

"At worst he misinterpreted a briefing note and is happy to acknowledge that," the spokeswoman said.

In a statement, the Department of Health said funding was available to commission the remaining 300 beds within the next year. The beds were promised under a bed capacity initiative announced in 2002 and a separate announcement earlier this year.

Labour's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, however, said the Taoiseach was "deliberately massaging" bed figures in the face of public anger over the state of A&E units.

"Many of these so-called beds are not even beds at all. They are recliners, couches and trolleys.

"Presumably the Taoiseach knows the difference between a reclining chair and a hospital bed, or a trolley and a bed," Ms McManus said.

Labour will raise the issue in the Dáil later this week and will demand that the Taoiseach correct the record of the House.

A newly-formed patients' group is threatening to hold another protest in Dublin city centre next Saturday unless it is satisfied with Government plans to deal with the A&E crisis.

The Patients Together group, which says it has hundreds of people interested in joining its campaign, is due to meet the Minister for Health, Ms Harney, shortly.

However, a founder member of the group, Mr Gerard Byrne, said an announcement to postpone the protest march will depend on whether it is satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

"We want the Minister to see for herself the hardship that is caused by the crisis in our hospitals. Our ultimate aim is that no patient should be forced to wait on a trolley. We don't want short-term cosmetic solutions, we want this issue to be dealt with properly, once and for all," Mr Byrne said.

The group is seeking to make contact with patients and their relatives via e-mail at patientstogether@eircom.net as part of its campaign.

A spokesman for Ms Harney confirmed that a meeting will take place between the Minister and the group as soon as possible.

The Minister is also due to outline to members of the Oireachtas Committee on Health her plans for reforming the health service. The committee's acting chairman, Fianna Fáil TD Mr John Moloney, said the group is planning a three-hour meeting with the Minister next week.