Mary Harney
Question:17 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to improve the availability of sterilisation in public funded hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Sterilisation Service.
Pat Cox
Question:60 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to improve the availability of sterilisation in public funded hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 60 together.
The position in relation to the availability of sterilisation operations in publicly funded hospitals was outlined by me in a reply to a parliamentary question on 24 June 1993. That reply details the names of some 19 hospitals nationwide which provide tubal ligation services, and which appear to adequately meet the demand for such procedures.
Where sterilisation operations are not available at a particular hospital, the patient has the right to ask her hospital consultant to refer her to a hospital where the procedure is available.