Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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780. To ask the Minister for Health the grants or financial supports that are available for groups seeking to purchase and install automated external defibrillators in public spaces, sports clubs and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25117/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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782. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the progress to date in implementing a public access defibrillation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25122/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A national Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Steering group was established in 2017. The purpose of this project is to improve survival rates for those who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest through the development and implementation of an out of hospital cardiac arrest strategy up to 2020.  This work will support the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and Community First Responder Ireland (CFR Ireland) in their commitment to improve clinical outcomes for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). 

It is also considering how to improve Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest survival by strengthening the ‘Chain of Survival’ across Ireland.  National and international evidence and experience will be assessed to see if it can be applied in Ireland.   

The report is close to finalisation and it considers a range of measures to improve survival rates including defibrillation. It has considered the HIQA Health Technology Assessment on the cost effectiveness of a Public Access Defibrillator Programme. It notes that AEDs are more likely to have an impact on survival if people who work and live in the vicinity of the AED are CPR trained, informed of the AED location and that the existing AEDs are accessible.

It is anticipated that the report of the OHCA Steering group will provide advice to the HSE and the Department on the most effective ways of improving survival including the use of defibrillators in community settings.

Once the findings of the Steering group have been published, the relevant recommendations will be carefully considered by all parties.