asked the Minister for Health (a) the number of deaths of infants under one year of age; (b) the number of stillbirths and (c) the number of surviving children born with mental or physical handicaps in the last year for which figures are available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Infant Deaths.
28.
In 1976 there were 998 deaths of infants under one year. In the same year there were 765 stillbirths. These figures are provisional.
An accurate figure is not at present available of the number of surviving children born with mental or physical handicap. However, my Department have recently been engaged in consultations with a view to introducing a system of birth notification which will provide information on defects discovered at, or shortly after, birth. I hope that this system can be brought into operation soon.
The Minister will admit that his Department have fallen down on aspects of this for many years.
One must never ask a Minister for Health to admit that his Department have fallen down on anything.
I will say that the Minister merely inherited it.