Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A positive approach will be taken towards it. Since the programme began 17 years ago, 700 patients have received cochlear implants. Some 90 procedures were carried out in 2012, of which 48 involved adults, while 42 involved children. The Deputy is correct that in 2009 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the United Kingdom recommended bilateral cochlear implantation as best practice for children. In Ireland, it is only single implantation that takes place, except in a very small number of cases in which children might have been the victims of meningitis or suffer from blindness.

Beaumont Hospital and HSE management have met to discuss the proposition made by Beaumont Hospital. The purpose of the meeting and others to follow was and is to identify the options for developing bilateral implementation processes for children. Obviously, an important element would be the development of very clear clinical criteria to prioritise the cases that should be dealt with.

I am glad the Deputy has raised the issue which is very important for parents and, more particularly, children. As I said, the process is under way. There is an allocation of €4.1 million this year and the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, will follow through with the HSE and Beaumont Hospital management in developing that process and putting in place clear criteria to see whether we should follow the decision taken in 2009 by the national institute in the United Kingdom on bilateral cochlear implantation. The Deputy will be kept informed on the matter.

See this speech in context