James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

The Minister has had a long time to consider how to make the hospitals more efficient. The issue before the House is of serious concern to people across the country, no more so than the Deputy on my right, Catherine Byrne, whose constituency contains the hospital in question.

Crumlin hospital looks after 80% of children's tertiary needs. The Minister was right to point out that it has increased its activity and efficiency, but this was necessary in light of the increasing population. The Minister acknowledged this fact by increasing the allocation to the maternity hospitals.

The Minister does not seem to have taken into account some of the newer technologies that are available, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which has reduced the cardiac surgery death rate by nearly half. The hospital was given no extra money in this regard. There is a growing number of cardiac conditions that, unlike previously, are now treatable, such as hyperplastic left heart syndrome. The incidence of sickle cell disease has increased significantly, resulting in Crumlin hospital having the largest outpatient clinics for that illness in Europe.

Why is the Government spending €5 million per year on a virtual new hospital, which no one believes will proceed in the current economic climate, when it is enforcing cutbacks at the very hospital delivering care today? Since all Cork orthopaedic operations are to be brought to Crumlin, any delay in scoliosis operations will result in children having two operations, leading to tremendous suffering. How much-----

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