Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Ireland. County Kerry has the highest incidence of cardiovascular disease in Ireland. Documentation provided by the CHAIR project organised by the former Southern Health Board clearly demonstrated that cardiovascular patients in County Kerry are under-served compared to patients in Cork.

A cardiologist was appointed six months ago to provide a cardiology service for Kerry patients both in Tralee General Hospital and in the private hospital, the Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee. This improved access considerably for Kerry patients to invasive cardiology facilities, in other words, angiograms. Prior to the appointment 4% of CHAIR admissions to Tralee General Hospital had coronary-angiography as inpatients. After his appointment such admissions increased to 17%. The service for public patients was withdrawn recently due to a lack of funding. This is disappointing as the service provided by the consultant, Dr. Victor Kocka, was proven to be extremely effective and beneficial.

The national cardiovascular strategy report of 2003 recommended a full-time cardiologist for County Kerry as a matter of priority at that time. We still did not get that cardiologist. Currently there is 0.4% of a cardiology post in County Kerry serving a population of 126,000. County Cork which has a population of 420,000 has six cardiologists. I understand Comhairle na nOspidéal is evaluating the case for the appointment of a full-time cardiologist in Kerry.

I appeal to the Minister of State to convey to the Minister my request that a full-time cardiologist be appointed to Tralee General Hospital starting in January 2006. This appointment should also be accompanied by the necessary support staff and adequate funding. Serious consideration should also be given to the provision of invasive cardiology facilities, including coronary angiography, coronary intervention and permanent pacingin Tralee General Hospital. These facilities would be most beneficial for Kerry patients and would provide urgent access and avoid the long journey patients have to endure to avail of this facility in Cork city. I appeal to the Minister of State to represent my case to the Minister as a matter of urgency. For whatever reason Kerry has the highest rate of coronary disease in the country. For example, in the period from 1998 to 2002 of the 25,149 deaths in the Southern Health Board region, counties Kerry and Cork, 10,726, or 43%, were attributed to diseases of the circulatory system and the higher percentage of those was in County Kerry. It makes no sense that County Kerry would be without a single cardiologist. It is unfair to the population of Kerry. Without wishing to exaggerate, I am convinced that fatalities have occurred in the past and will do so in future because of the lack of basic cardiovascular treatment facilities in the county. This is an urgent matter and I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for having allowed me to raise it on the Adjournment.

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