Jim Mitchell
Ceist:91 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay in delivering on a commitment to open a lung transplant unit in the Mater Hospital. [5852/02]
Written Answers. - Hospital Facilities.
Dan Neville
Ceist:163 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will honour his commitment to open a lung transplant unit at the Mater Hospital, Dublin 7. [5999/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 163 together.
I am committed to supporting the establishment of a lung transplant facility in Ireland and to ensuring that the programme, when introduced, will be in a position to match the highest international standards in lung and heart-lung transplantation.
The Mater Hospital, Dublin, has been designated as the surgical site for the programme. The provision of a transplant unit forms part of a major capital development at the Mater Hospital. An expert consultative group, which includes representatives of the Mater Hospital and the Eastern Regional Health Authority was established to advise on the development of the programme. The report of the consultative group has recently been received and is being considered by my Department. A letter issued on 14 February to the director of planning and commissioning in the ERHA with a view to arranging a meeting later this month with representatives of the consultative group so that the matter may be progressed.
Pending the establishment of an Irish based programme, an agreement is in place with the Freeman Hospital in the UK for the treatment of Irish patients requiring a lung or heart and lung transplant.