Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 16 May 1990

Vol. 398 No. 8

Written Answers. - Dublin Hospital Diagnostic Scanning Services.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

154 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the reason diagnostic scanning equipment is still not being utilised in Temple Street Hospital, Dublin 1, further to the fund raising efforts of the Irish Hairdressing Association in raising the money for both the equipment and the staff training; if he will arrange, in view of his previous positive committment in this area, to ensure that this service is made available as soon as possible, in order that children do not have to go to Great Britain for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

Funds for the purchase of this equipment were raised privately by the Irish Hairdressers' Federation. This was done without reference to the board of management of the hospital or to the board's priorities for medical equipment.

As I indicated to you in my reply to a previous parliamentary question of 24 October 1989 (Dáil Debates Volume 392, column 233) on this matter, the hospital itself did not at that stage regard the operation of this equipment as a priority. The hospital's top priority is the reduction of the length of the ENT waiting lists, for which purpose I have already provided special additional funds.

I understand that the Irish Hairdressers' Federation has made an offer to the hospital authorities to provide funding of the order of £30,000 over a period of two years towards the additional revenue costs which the use of this equipment will involve. This, however, will not cover the total revenue costs of operating the equipment.

I understand that the hospital intends to submit a request to my Department to fund the balance of the revenue costs. This request will be considered as sympathetically as possible in the context of the many competing demands for resources and the hospital's priorities for new developments.

I would like to point out further that the Deputy is misinformed when he states that children have to travel to the United Kingdom because this equipment is not yet in use. The position is that samples taken in this country are sent to the UK for testing and results can be obtained within 48 hours if necessary without the need for children to travel abroad.