Vol. 431 No. 8
34 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Health when he intends to provide for amniocentesis testing in this country; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many women who already have a child with cystic fibrosis have to travel to the UK if they wish to undergo such a test; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The position is that amniocentesis tests are carried out for pregnant women at maternity hospitals in this country where this in indicated as part of ante-natal medical care of the mother and the child.
As the Deputy may be aware, I have allocated £410,000 this year to Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin for the establishment of a medical genetics counselling service. The new service will be backed by a medical genetics laboratory also based at Crumlin and will be able to test for all medical genetic conditions, including cystic fibrosis. A consultant medical geneticist is being recruited at present to head up the service.
