Vol. 561 No. 1
364 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will approve and provide finance for a submission, made by the Southern Health Board to his Department, regarding cardio vascular services at Tralee General Hospital, including the appointment of a consultant cardiologist at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26362/02]
The advisory forum on cardiovascular health recommended that a working group be set up and chaired by Comhairle na nOspidéal with representatives from the Department of Health and Children and the advisory forum to plan the future consultant cardiologist requirements needed to implement the recommendations of the cardiovascular health strategy. This group produced an interim report in May 2001 recommending an immediate requirement of 25 additional consultant cardiologist posts. Three consultant cardiologist posts were recommended for the Southern Health Board area, one at Cork University Hospital, one at Tralee General Hospital and one at the Mercy Hospital. The full report from the group will be produced in the near future. Nationally, we are on target to advance the filling of 17 of these posts in 2003. Within the resources available and taking account of competing priorities, my Department will continue to attach priority to advancing the recruitment of the remainder of these posts including those recommended for the Southern Health Board.
