Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his questions. I do not propose to go back to the drawing board but I take a genuine interest in the matter raised by the Deputy. The detail available on the Department of Health website gives a clear understanding, the facts and figures for the budget allocation for 2017 as being the highest ever allocated to the health portfolio. It is an increase of over €500 million to the HSE this year. This has been gone through in great detail both by the HSE and by the Department of Health and its Minister. It is there for all to see.

I listened this morning with interest to the interview with Professor Walsh, who is clearly a very learned man in his profession. Some €900 million more was provided this year, for 2017, when compared with last year. Professor Walsh spoke very clearly about the situation In the national adult congenital centre at the Mater hospital. It is because of the success of the interventions in paediatric services that the numbers of young people requiring the service is growing. It is a challenge of success. The survival rate for paediatric cases, like young Laura Clifford from Sligo, who spoke so well this morning, was 10% but it has now reached 90%, which is of course something that everybody would support. That means an increase in survivors will require a greater need from adult services.

The position spoken of is a highly specialist field. That post is to be divided between the children's hospital in Crumlin and the Mater in order to support the transition from paediatric care to adult care. The money is available for the post. This was advertised in terms of an additional cardiologist post in 2012 and again in 2015 but no application was received for the job. I am not sure if that is because of the range of facilities, remuneration, the structure of the job or whatever else. These jobs are advertised on a worldwide basis. Given the success rate increase from 10% to 90%, and given that the money is there to fill the position, there were no applications. In order for the post to be filled, it is being restructured across both the Mater and Crumlin hospitals and it will be readvertised shortly.

In light of the development of an all-island congenital heart disease network, which the Minister, Deputy Harris, signed recently, children from Northern Ireland will be able to come to Crumlin hospital for very specialist heart surgery. It is expected that a greater pool of potential candidates will now be available for the post and recruitment could well be successful. The money is in place to provide for the cardiologist to be appointed. I hope it happens.

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