Tony Gregory
Ceist:255 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health and Children if the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin 1, has requested funding for staffing and training to operate an MRI scanner. [18307/00]
Written Answers. - Hospital Services.
No formal request for funding for staffing and training to operate an MRI scanner has been received in my Department, although my officials have been aware that The Children's Hospital, Temple Street has fundraised for the capital costs involved in purchasing an MRI scanner. However, any decision in relation to the funding of new services within the Eastern Regional Health Authority region will have to take account of objective assessment of need and competing priorities for capital and revenue funding.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority task force, at the request of my Department, commissioned an external review of the need for dedicated paediatric MRI services in the eastern region. I have been informed that a final draft report has now been received by the ERHA and the authority has recently sought a meeting with my Department to discuss the findings of this report.