asked the Minister for Health whether the recommendations, which were made six months ago by Comhairle na nOspidéal, in regard to improved cardiac surgery facilities in the Mater, Our Lady's, Crumlin, Royal City of Dublin and Cork Regional Hospitals, will be implemented in the current year.
Written Answers. - Cardiac Surgery Facilities.
321.
Comhairle na nOspidéal issued a report on the future organisation of cardiothoracic surgery in this country in December 1981.
I have now completed my consideration of the recommendations of the report and I am in agreement with them. The report incidentally did not envisage cardiac surgery being developed in the Royal City of Dublin Hospital. The precise terms of the report in this respect were as follows:
The development of resources for cardiac surgery on adults should be confined for the foreseeable future to 2 centres in this country, namely the unit at the Mater Hospital and a unit to be developed at Cork Regional Hospital. Cardiac surgery on children should be confined to one centre, namely Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
While I intend that the recommendations should be implemented as quickly as possible, because of the very considerable financial implications involved in the provision of this service it has been necessary to determine priorities for development. I am now investigating how the necessary additional revenue and capital funds can be provided for this purpose in the present difficult economic situation.