Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 1997

Vol. 478 No. 7

Written Answers - Migraine Treatment.

Mary Wallace

Question:

94 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that at least 10 per cent of the population suffers from migraine, that the cost to the economy of working days lost through absence from work due to migraine is high and that the Irish population of 375,000 migraine sufferers lose approximately 1,500,000 working days each year; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the Irish Migraine Association is an entirely voluntary support group which was formed a few years ago and now has over 1,000 members all over Ireland; if he will support the progress of the Irish Migraine Association in respect of the establishment of the first migraine clinic in Ireland as part of an existing pain management clinic attached to a major hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12242/97]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): My Department has received no proposals from the Irish Migraine Association for the establishment of a migraine clinic as part of an existing pain management clinic in a hospital. The position is that pain management falls within the general speciality of anaesthetics and therefore, there is no designated national pain management unit. The Department is however in discussion with the management of St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park regarding the parameters within which pain management services generally at this hospital might reasonably operate.

I am aware that the Irish Migraine Association is a voluntary support group and I am pleased to say that the health promotion unit of my Department has recently made funding of up to £5,000 available to assist the Irish Migraine Association in the printing of a booklet called Managing Migraine.