Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 September 2013
43. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the additional measures or resources that will be provided to assist organ donation and transplant services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40044/13]
View answerThe HSE, through its National Organ Donation and Transplantation Office, in conjunction with my Department, has identified further priority areas for action to enhance the organ donation and transplantation system. These are being considered in the context of the current Estimates process.
Meanwhile, approval has been given for 30 wholetime equivalent posts at various levels for the expansion of kidney transplantation services at Beaumont Hospital and for the development of urology services at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. 8 of these 30 wholetime equivalents are in post and the remaining are in the final stages of the recruitment process. A capital allocation of €5m has been approved for phase 1 of the Kidney Transplant Expansion Programme in Beaumont. An additional operating theatre will be equipped by the beginning of October and the refurbishment and fit out of St Damien’s Ward and the expansion and fit out of the Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory will follow in 2014.
