asked the Minister for Health whether his attention has been drawn to reports regarding the plan to establish a research centre to investigate diseases in children at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin, which stated that there were no public funds available to set up such a project as this; and whether he will now take steps to make available public funds to help in the setting up and maintenance of this research work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Research into Children's Diseases.
3.
I have had no request from the promoters of this project to assist it financially. Indeed, when His Grace, Most Reverend Dr. McQuaid, Archbishop of Dublin, who is Chairman of the Hospital, very courteously informed me on 19th instant of the intention to undertake this research, he stated that the beginnings would be modest and would be financed by voluntary contributions.
4.
asked the Minister for Health whether there is at present any research being carried out into diseases in children, which is financed by or receives aid from public funds; and, if so, if he will give details.
A number of the research projects being carried out under the aegis of the Medical Research Council, financed by means of grants from the Hospitals Trust Fund, deal directly or indirectly with children's diseases. These projects are:—
1. The epidemiology of congenital abnormalities.
2. Peri-natal mortality survey.
3. Survey of incidence of thalido-mide-like deformities in infants.
4. Investigation of iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women and of the effect of such iron deficiency on the growth and development of children.
5. Amino-acid metabolism in phenylketonurics.
6. Investigation into the causes of gastro-enteritis in children under two years in Dublin city.
In addition, surveys, undertaken for the purposes of the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act, 1960, of the incidence of dental caries among schoolchildren have recently been completed.