Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Tom Enright

Question:

332 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the treatment of children with congenital heart defects has a waiting list of 12 months for surgery at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that approximately 1% of all infants born here each year have a congenital heart defect, that many of these children are critically ill and at least 60% require cardiac surgery; and his proposals to reduce the waiting list for Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. [8378/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Responsibility for the funding of services, including paediatric cardiac surgery at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. Waiting list figures received from the Eastern Regional Health Authority for the quarter ending 31 December 2001 shows that there were six children waiting between three and six months for cardiac surgery and that there were eight children waiting for more than six months for cardiac surgery at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin. These figures represent a decrease of 57% and 72% respectively on the corresponding numbers on 31 December 2000.

The theatre development at the hospital, which I recently approved at an estimated construction cost of €25.4 million, will provide five new operating theatres. The existing two theatre suites will also be upgraded as part of that project. When these theatres are fully commissioned it is expected that the hospital will be in a position to perform an additional 100 paediatric cardiac procedures per annum, which is an increase of 40% on its existing capacity.