Vol. 524 No. 5
290 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has had any contact with the Department of Education regarding the setting up of hospital schools; and the public hospitals in which these schools are in operation to cater for children who are hospitalised regularly or for lengthy periods of time. [23138/00]
The provision of education in hospitals is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science. Information is not routinely collected by my Department on the number of hospitals which provide schools.
However, as a general indication of the position, I have been advised by the Eastern Regional Health Authority, which is responsible for all health services in the eastern region since 1 March 2000, that schools are in operation at the three Dublin paediatric hospitals or units, that is Temple Street Children's Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin and the Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght.
In addition, I recently launched the school at Cork University Hospital which also serves St Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital.
