Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, together with other Members of the Oireachtas, members of the joint committee had a meeting with the Happy New Ear campaign on cochlear implantation. At present, the number of such implantations stands at 90 patients per year and the annual budget in Beaumont Hospital for this service, inclusive of implants, is more than €4 million. Last year, 48 adults and 42 children received implants and more than 700 patients are in the ongoing support programme for rehabilitation. The cost of a single implant is between €18,000 and €20,000 and the Happy New Ear campaign stated yesterday that one could perform a simultaneous implant for approximately the same price. There is no delegated programme for simultaneous implants to be carried out in Ireland. I acknowledge the HSE is working closely with Beaumont Hospital to further plans for both simultaneous and bilateral implantations. At present, approximately 200 children in Ireland may be suitable for a second implant. A small number of them have received bilateral implants due to medical conditions such as meningitis and blindness. The Minister should note that 22 centres in the United Kingdom carry out these implants at a cost of €30,000 per family. While families are trying to gather together this money to travel to the United Kingdom to have this operation performed, they are worried about the after-care service. Yesterday, they wanted to know whether, were they to travel to the United Kingdom to have these operations done, Beaumont Hospital would provide an after-care service for them. All parents want is for their children to be given a chance to have a normal life. I acknowledge the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, met the group yesterday but were the Minister to meet these people in the near future, I would appreciate it. This would give them the opportunity at first hand to express their concerns. The Minister is a family man like me and I know he will make himself available.