Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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619. To ask the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive will fill sanctioned posts (details supplied) in County Cork in critical areas of diabetes care; the reason for the delay in filling these posts despite funding being sanctioned in the HSE’s 2012 Service Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25066/13]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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634. To ask the Minister for Health when a post for an integrated diabetes nursing post to serve the new County Mayo integrated care area will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25188/13]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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636. To ask the Minister for Health when an integrated diabetes nursing post will be filled to serve the new County Donegal integrated care area. [25251/13]

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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637. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the establishment of an integrated diabetes service for County Kildare with the recruitment of a specialist diabetes nurse; when the recruitment process for all new posts for this service will be completed; the reason for the delays in the issuing of letters of appointment for these posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25252/13]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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642. To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding diabetes care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25316/13]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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649. To ask the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive will fill the sanctioned posts in relation to areas of diabetes care in County Donegal; the reason for the delay in filling these post to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25352/13]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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654. To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive authorities will fill sanctioned posts in areas of diabetes care that is a nursing post in integrated diabetes care covering all of County Kerry and a footcare/podiatry post at Kerry General hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25443/13]

Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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659. To ask the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the following matter regarding the Diabetes Services servicing the Mid West: if he will address the issues raised by the 17,800 persons who are suffering from diabetes in the Mid West Region in view of the fact taht they are concerned at the slow pace of development of local diabetes health services (details supplied); when the Health Service Executive will make insulin pumps available outside of the Dublin hospitals, at Cork University Hospital, University College Hospital, Galway and the Mid West Regional Hospital Limerick; when will the Nursing and Diabetic posts required to resource the development of these services be put in place. O.75 Dietician posts for Limerick and 1.2 Diabetic Nurse Specialists posts shared between Limerick and Galway. [25547/13]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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662. To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date with the establishment of an integrated care centre for persons with Type 2 diabetes in Cork; if recruitment has commenced for 1.0 integrated diabetes nurse to work in this centre; when this position will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25590/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 619, 634, 636, 637, 642, 645, 649, 654, 659 and 662 together.

The National Integrated Care Diabetes Programme is being implemented on a phased basis. The programme will improve patient access and manage patient care in an integrated manner across service settings, resulting in better outcomes, enhanced clinical decision making and the most effective use of resources.

The Government has approved funding for the appointment of 17 Integrated Care Diabetes Nurse Specialists (one per HSE Integrated Service Area) to support the phased roll out of the programme. These Diabetes Nurse Specialists will work 1 day per week in a hospital setting and 4 days per week in primary care. They will play a key role in the development of clinically sound collaborative links between primary care and secondary care providers and will also be an essential resource in empowering patients to achieve optimum diabetes control. It is anticipated that all 17 positions will be filled soon. Funding has also been secured to appoint 16 podiatrists and a number of these posts have been filled. Recruitment for the remaining posts is underway and the aim is to have them filled as soon as possible in 2013. In relation to the other issues raised by the Deputies, including the filling of Diabetes posts in specific areas, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputies in these matters.