Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 5

Written Answers. - Organ Transplant Service.

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

287 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the full capital cost of the provision of the planned heart and lung transplant unit at the Mater Hospital; the extent of the moneys which have to date been expended on planning, equipment, training, staffing and buildings; the anticipated full year revenue cost; the anticipated countrywide annual demand for lung transplants; the medical advice regarding the extent to which compatible organs will be available to meet demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26606/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Arrangements are being put in place in the Mater Hospital to facilitate the commencement of the Irish lung transplant programme in 2003. Approximately €3.4 million has been expended to date on the programme, including the provision in recent months of appropriate assessment facilities required to support the development of the service at the hospital. It is anticipated that the full year revenue costs of a fully operational programme will be approximately €7.9 million.

Epidemiological research in the area of lung transplantation indicates a requirement for 35 to 40 lung transplants per annum for Irish patients. The Irish unit will be a small sized lung transplant unit in international terms. However, there is no set international minimum size. It has been agreed that the programme will be introduced on a phased basis to allow for the skills of the clinical staff to be built up over time. This is in line with the other organ transplant services which have been established here.

Ireland has a high rate of cadaveric organ donation by comparison with other countries. There is currently a low rate of lung donation and retrieval. International experience has shown that this rate is likely to increase with the inception of a national programme. In particular, the proximity and interaction of the retrieval and transplant teams has been shown to maximise the multi-organ retrieval rate.