asked the Minister for Health if he will furnish details of the plans approved by his Department for financing and carrying on research into cot deaths in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cot Deaths.
24.
A report on the question of further research into the problem of sudden infant deaths has been prepared by the Medico-Social Research Board and submitted to my Department. This report is at present the subject of discussions between my Department and the board.
Has this report been with the Minister since October last?
Yes, but I should like to explain what has happened. As a result of our examination of the report we went back to the Medico-Social Research Board and discussed a number of aspects with them. As a result of this discussion they will probably do some further research and consideration.
Would the Minister accept that in view of the fact that it is likely, taking previous statistics into account, that 130 children will die as a result of cot deaths in the current year, there should be a large degree of priority of making finance available for research into the causes of cot deaths?
There is no question of not making finance available; the difficulty is to know how to go about the task. As a result of the preliminary report from the board a number of issues have arisen which have been discussed further with the board and the matter is under very active consideration at the moment.
Would the Minister give an assurance that such finance as is reasonably necessary for such research will be made available?
I can assure the Deputy of that. We regard this matter as one of very great urgency and under a different heading we have taken some steps to enable further information to be ascertained.
Would the Minister consider asking the Medico-Social Research Board to establish liaison with the British Medical Research Board which are involved in this matter?
We have already done that. We have had people from the British Institute who are doing research in this area over here and our people have been over with them.
Does the Minister realise that this problem is not peculiar to Ireland: it is an international problem and as a result co-ordinated research would be more advantageous?
We have the fullest possible co-operation between the Medico-Social Research Board here and the main institute in Britain, which are carrying out research. As the Deputy knows, this is a problem to which nobody has come up with any clear-cut answers.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper. There is one item on private business which I will ask the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to move.
I want to raise a matter on the adjournment. I am sorry if I appear to be butting in, but I do not want to be short circuited by time under the Rules of the House in raising this matter. I want to know whether the Taoiseach or the Minister for Foreign Affairs would be prepared, subject to your agreement, Sir, to tell on the adjournment tonight what, if anything, the Government are doing about the deteriorating situation in H Block arising from which in the hospital at Musgrave Park since yesterday the first expected casualties are now being treated for malnutrition, exposure and so on. This is a very serious situation and I have informed the Minister for Foreign Affairs about it.
I will communicate with the Deputy during the afternoon.