Hospital Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 May 2004

Tuesday, 25 May 2004

Questions (240, 241, 242)

Jerry Cowley

Question:

260 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the situation at Mayo General Hospital, at which there is no resident speech therapist available for patients; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been unable to have essential speech therapy despite the urgent need for same and that this person is one of many young persons who require this service and are being denied it due to his negligence in providing services for those in need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15203/04]

Written answers

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The provision of services, including speech therapy, at Mayo General Hospital is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position on the matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.

Jerry Cowley

Question:

261 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the lack of facilities and support at Mayo General Hospital for amputees; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the north-west amputee support group was promised five years ago an on-site workshop, which would enable clinic to carry out repairs and alterations, but that this has not been provided; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that amputees who require repairs to their prosthesis have to travel to Dublin with their prosthesis or else post them leaving patients without a spare limb; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the facilities of clinics are unacceptable, in that all patients have to change in an open area with no privacy and that there is insufficient parking spaces for these patients who attend the clinic. [15204/04]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The provision of services, including facilities and support for amputees, at Mayo General Hospital is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in relation to the matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.

Bernard Allen

Question:

262 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason there is no dialysis unit for children in the Southern Health Board area; the further reason children from the Southern Health Board area have to travel to Temple Street Hospital or Crumlin children’s hospital in Dublin to have dialysis treatment and have to do so on a weekly basis; the further reason an ambulance service is not offered similar to that offered by the South Eastern Health Board; and when he proposes to sanction the funding for a dialysis unit for children in the Southern Health Board area and to investigate the reasons the Southern Health Board will not provide funding towards the cost of children having to travel to Dublin for treatment due to the treatment not being available in their own catchment area. [15205/04]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Responsibility for the provision of services for residents of Cork and Kerry is, in the first instance, a matter for the Southern Health Board. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board to investigate the matter and reply directly to the Deputy.