Vol. 551 No. 2
240 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Health and Children the manner in which the £30,000 allocated to enable a national study on the prevalence of attention deficit disorder, as referred to in Seanad Éireann on 6 February 2000, was allocated; the person who undertook the study; the results of the study; if a copy will be placed in the Oireachtas Library; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9697/02]
My Department commissioned the Mid-Western Health Board to undertake this prevalence study. It was agreed that funding would be provided from the board's 2000 revenue allocation. The report was prepared by Dr. Kevin Kelleher, director of public health, and Mr. Frank Haughton, research officer, department of public health, of the Mid-Western Health Board.
The report highlighted the importance of a multi-disciplinary input in the review and diagnosis of ADHD-HKD. It concluded that the prevalence rate in Ireland of hyperactivity kinetic disorder, HKD, is 1.4% among children aged five to 15 and the rate is six times higher among boys than girls in that age cohort. The findings of the report, together with the first report of the working group on child and adolescent psychiatry, have informed my Department's policy in relation to the provision and further development of services for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-hyperactivity kinetic disorder, ADHD-HKD.
A copy of the report has been sent to the Oireachtas Library as requested by the Deputy.
