Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. O'Connell for his responses and for the indication of a positive disposition to the whole project. In relation to the additional personnel needed, the number really is very small. What was identified by the team in Belfast was a single nurse there, a deep brain stimulation, DBS, nurse specialist and one here. The remark was made that the money is not there. I would not expect it to be a full-time post of itself, but I stand to be corrected on that. Dr. O’Connell said there would be no issue if somebody volunteered to take on the position. Could we not have a more proactive approach in terms of establishing the availability of somebody within the neurological service at the Mater hospital who could perform the specific role of DBS nurse specialist? The assessment will presumably be progressed by Professor Lynch and Dr. Walsh, among others, but a nurse is a critical support element within the team, especially so in terms of follow-up. The issue is being addressed again. It has become current following on from the paediatric cardiac decisions. The health Minister in the North, Mr. Wells, has taken a significant step in supporting and facilitating that. We all want to be on the one page. I do not want to go to the next meeting of the North-South Interparliamentary Association in Stormont in May and be embarrassingly slapped back on the basis that we could not even secure a single appointment of a DBS nurse specialist in Dublin in order to properly facilitate the advent of an all-island service at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Dr. O’Connell is looking at the matter from his perspective, but I must look at it in terms of the political engagement that is my life - sadly, I might add, but I have to do it. I know the difficulties and the challenges involved. I have been working at it for many years. We need to make sure all our ducks are in a row in regard to the matter. It is not a big ask. I want to know and I need to be able to understand, as a layperson in these matters, exactly what it is that we are willing and prepared to do. We have not been asked for very much. There are significant savings involved, and I need to be able to say something other than that a person needs to put up their hand and say they will do something on a voluntary basis.