Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy asked a number of questions. I will do my best to answer as many of them as possible and come back to him on the others. It is estimated that approximately 10,000 people are admitted to hospital with acquired brain injury every year. Obviously, the causes can vary from road traffic accidents, physical assaults, brain tumours or infections of the brain matter, such as meningitis.

At the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire there are currently 120 beds. Plans are well afoot to build a new hospital on the same site which will have 240 beds. The Department is looking at the overall requirement for rehabilitation beds nationwide.

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