Vol. 490 No. 5
191 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children whether he will put in place arrangements to require that the consent of a deaf person over the age of 18 years be required for a cochlear implant; and the arrangements in this regard. [10464/98]
The law requires that the appropriate consent to medical procedures be obtained from a patient before a doctor treats that patient. There will be instances when the patient is unable to consent by virtue of age or incapacity and consent is thus obtained from a person entitled to consent on the person's behalf. There are also exceptional cases i.e. emergencies where it may not be possible to obtain the consent of the patient to a medical intervention. In relation to minors I would refer the Deputy to section 23 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act, 1997.
