Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The Health Service Executive has informed my Department that the number of patients receiving dialysis treatment at the Limerick Regional Hospital has increased by approximately 20% in the last two years. I understand the dialysis service in Limerick now runs on a seven days a week basis, working at maximum capacity, providing 277 treatments for 99 patients a week. Five patients from the mid-west area are currently receiving their treatment at neighbouring units as an interim measure until dialysis capacity is increased locally. Arrangements are well advanced to provide for increased dialysis capacity in Limerick in the short and medium term. The HSE has invited tenders for the provision of additional dialysis services and is also working with the Irish Kidney Association in an effort to increase capacity locally.

Additional revenue funding of €12 million was provided for the HSE in 2006 and the current year to support the provision of dialysis facilities, the development of a living-related renal donor programme and the implementation of the national renal strategy which is due to be published shortly by the HSE. I understand it will recommend the development of additional consultant-led renal services on a regional basis.

A number of new renal dialysis facilities have opened recently and others are due to open soon. These include: a nine station facility opened in St. Vincent's Hospital in 2006; eight new dialysis stations at Cork University Hospital which are due to open later this summer; and a 17 station unit is being opened as part of the new hospital development at Tullamore which will open at the end of this month. In addition, 155 patients are being treated in dialysis units operated by the private sector, while 15 living donor transplants will take place this year in Beaumont Hospital.

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