Vol. 542 No. 4
133 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of non-nationals seeking asylum; the number who have applied for or are receiving or have received in-vitro fertilisation treatment; and if this treatment is generally made available to women with children. [24645/01]
I am advised by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform that the number of non-nationals seeking asylum in recent years is as follows: 1996 – 1,179; 1997 – 3,883;
1998 – 4,626; 1999 – 7,724; 2000 – 10,938; 2001 – 8,073*
*As at 16 October 2001.
The current arrangement is that IVF treatment is not publicly funded. While it is available in the Rotunda Hospital and in University College Hospital Galway the costs are met by charges to patients and, within this, there is some cross subsidisation to allow treatment to be provided free to medical card holders.
Having made inquiries of the health boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority has advised that the human assisted reproduction unit in the Rotunda Hospital does not categorise patients according to nationality and therefore does not have information on the number of non-nationals who have applied for or are receiving IVF treatment. Furthermore, IVF is available to women with children, in cases where there is secondary infertility. The Western Health Board has advised that, in relation to University College Hospital Galway, there are approximately one to two inquiries per day for the fertility clinic and there are currently ten new patients booking places in the fertility clinic from the population of non-nationals seeking asylum. The board has also advised that this treatment is made available to women with children.
