Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question he asked on behalf of Deputy Jonathan O'Brien. As the Deputies will be aware, Cork University Hospital is the centre for the treatment of paediatric diabetes for the south-west region. It treats approximately 400 children with diabetes, with an average of between 45 and 52 new children being diagnosed each year. I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to further developing and strengthening paediatric diabetic services.  The HSE has advised me that an additional permanent consultant paediatric endocrinologist is due to commence duties in Cork University Hospital in January 2020, which will greatly enhance the paediatric diabetic service. We provided funding in the HSE national service plan for 2019 for recruitment to fill that post and I am pleased that the recruitment competition has been successful. We have approximately 125 additional consultants working in the health service already this year. I am pleased to see that the consultant paediatric endocrinologist post has been filled and that the person concerned will commence work in January 2020. It will make a significant difference to the paediatric diabetic service we can offer children in the south west.

The HSE has further advised me that while Cork University Hospital awaits the appointment of this permanent consultant, a locum consultant paediatrician is in place, alongside a part-time consultant paediatric endocrinologist to support additional clinics to target long waiters and patients who had appointments cancelled in the past. This is a very welcome development not only for people in Cork but also in quite a large catchment area which includes the whole of counties Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny.

We provided approval to recruit these additional posts. It was not only approval for the extra consultant who will be in place from January. The national service plan also provided funding for a new psychologist, social worker and dietitian to work as part of that wider paediatric diabetes service in Cork. These posts will also support the delivery of the model of care. I hope this is welcome news and I look forward to people taking up these posts at the start of the new year.

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