Vol. 426 No. 7
239 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the prenatal testing services available in Ireland; if he will develop these services; and are women being funded by his Department or the health boards to have this type of testing carried out abroad.
The position in relation to prenatal testing services in this country is that routine tests to determine immunity and blood type are widely available throughout maternity hospitals and maternity units. In certain hospitals and in selected cases, ultrasound, amniocentesis, and cordocentesis are performed where recommended by the clinician.
In relation to the development of the prenatal testing service which is linked to the medical genetic counselling service, the Deputy will be aware that special funding was provided in 1992 by my Department to enable the establishment of an integrated medical genetics counselling service at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. I am pleased to report that a Consultant Medical Geneticist is currently being recruited to direct this service. It is intended that a full range of tests will be provided at the Crumlin Centre, and that counselling will be non-directive in nature. Two additional medical genetic counselling centres outside Dublin will be developed as resources permit.
Health boards have, from time to time, referred patients abroad under EC arrangements for medical genetics counselling.
