Mary Wallace
Question:55 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Meath has to leave his home three mornings a week at 4 a.m. to travel to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 for dialysis and that he is not the only patient in this position as other patients are collected at 3 a.m. in Dundalk, 3.30 a.m. in Laytown and 4 a.m. in Duleek and brought to the dialysis machine at Beaumont; the reason there is no dialysis service in the north east to cater for these patients in view of the fact that it seems extraordinary to be taking these kidney patients out of their beds in the middle of the night for treatment; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that one of these patients has no kidney in use and thereby has to stop halfway on the journey to order to empty his bag; his views on whether this is an acceptable health service for these patients in the 1990s; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[11187/97]