Vol. 455 No. 8
75 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will provide facilities and resources to enable lung transplant operations take place in Ireland, in particular at the Mater Hospital, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12729/95]
Limerick East): Setting up a successful transplant programme for any specialty is an extremely complex and difficult task. It is essential to have suitably trained staff, infrastructure and back-up resources to ensure a successful outcome. The Department's recent experience with the liver transplant programme and its establishment in Ireland bears this out.
The feasibility of commencing a lung-heart lung transplant programme in Ireland is being examined by my Department. The question of a commencement of such a programme must take account of the views of appropriate clinicians in the area and the availability of resources in the context of the many competing demands for developments in the health services.
