Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 June 2013
235. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his policy on the provision of defibrillators, especially regarding ease of access by the public in emergencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31141/13]
View answerAs noted in a recent Government Decision, the Changing Cardiovascular Health is the national cardiovascular health policy from 2010 - 2019 and this provides an integrated and quality assured approach for the prevention and detection treatment of cardiovascular disease including stroke. Following a recent legislative debate on the Private Members' Bill in the Seanad, the second stage of the Public Health (Availability of Defibrillators) Bill 2013 has been approved.
While it is accepted that defibrillators should be placed in facilities where the incidence of cardiac arrest is likely to be high, this requires further assessment from a cost/health benefit perspective and also that the first responder programme can be delivered in a safe and appropriate manner. For this reason, it is proposed that a Health Technology Assessment is undertaken and this would guide how best to implement our first responder capacity including the requirement to provide defibrillators across many community settings. The Health Information and Quality Authority has agreed to undertake such an assessment. This will inform my subsequent decisions on the design and implementation of a national programme and the necessary legislation which my Department will prepare.
