Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 Jul 1995

Vol. 455 No. 4

Written Answers. - Family Planning Procedure.

Declan Bree

Ceist:

53 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Sligo was referred by her GP for a sterilisation operation in Sligo General Hospital and was refused the operation in view of the fact that the medical consultant involved considered that the procedure was for family planning purposes and that there was no medical reason for the operation; the steps, if any, he intends to take to ensure that this person is provided with a sterilisation operation; the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that sterilisation operations for family planning purposes will be made available in Sligo General Hospital in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12188/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): In March this year I issued guidelines to the health boards on the development of comprehensive family planning services in their areas. The guidelines are designed to implement the provisions, on family planning, of the policy agreement for Government and of the strategy for effective healthcare. The objective of my family planning policy is to ensure the provisions of comprehensive family planning services to all persons who need such services on a basis which is equitable and accessible and part of these services is the provision of both male and female sterilisation.

Sterilisation for family planning purposes will be provided at Sligo General Hospital as provided for in the national policy on the same basis as for all other surgical procedures in the hospital.

The general practitioner of the person concerned has been informed that the consultant will reconsider the referral in the light of the provisions of my family planning policy.