asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the number of chronic kidney patients in County Kerry at present travelling on average three times a week to Cork Regional Hospital and of the considerable hardship caused to these patients, she will provide the necessary finance for the provision of dialysis facilities at the new Tralee General Hospital.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Kidney Patients.
24.
The provision of dialysis facilities at the new Tralee General Hospital is a matter in the first instance for the Southern Health Board and no such proposal has been received from the board. I understand that a deputation from the local health committee for Kerry will be received at the next board meeting on 2 November 1981 to discuss this matter.
I should explain that, because of the considerable expense involved, it is departmental policy to concentrate the location of maintenance dialysis units in three centres, namely, Cork, Dublin and Galway.
On Monday last the Southern Health Board received a deputation and they agreed to send a deputation to meet the Minister in the not too distant future to discuss the situation. I should like to say that we have a very sad situation——
The Deputy should ask a question.
I am leading up to my question. We have a very sad situation in Kerry where we have 18 kidney patients. Would the Minister consider providing a satellite unit?
Comhairle na nOspidéal recommend that this facility should be concentrated in four units: Meath Hospital and Jervis Street in Dublin, Cork and Galway. I am sure the position which obtains in Kerry obtains throughout the country. It is very difficult to make a commitment to provide such very expensive facilities on a dispersed basis as the Deputy suggests.
Could I say to the Minister——
The Deputy cannot say. He can only ask.
In view of the fact that there are 18 patients in Kerry, would she consider the provision of a satellite unit in the new hospital in Tralee?
I cannot accept the Deputy's figure of 18 patients. My information is that the total number of patients is seven.