Vol. 475 No. 1
59 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of babies born with a drug addiction in the State in each of the years from 1991 to 1996; the facilities available for the specialised care of such babies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4343/97]
Limerick East): Information from the major maternity hospitals in Dublin indicates that during 1996 there were 60 babies born to drug misusers in the Rotunda Hospital, 50 at the Coombe Hospital and 30 at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street, a total of 140 babies. Information in respect of earlier years is not readily available.
While the Dublin maternity hospitals catered for approximately 38 per cent of total births in 1996 it would be expected that they would in fact cater for the vast majority of the babies born with a drug addiction, because of the concentration of heroin addiction in the Dublin area.
The maternity hospitals in Dublin are aware of the need to make special arrangements for such babies and, in general, they manage to deal with the demands placed on them.
The Eastern Health Board, is conscious of the need for the collection of better information on this issue. It has been in contact with the three main Dublin maternity hospitals and is working on the development, during 1997, of routine data collection from these sources as part of a broader database on drug misuse. This will enable the health board to target its services more effectively at areas of greatest need.
