Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the amount of the €1.5 million in funding allocated for cardiovascular issues, including heart failure and sudden cardiac death, in the Health Service Executive national service plan 2007 that has been spent to date, with a breakdown of these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23881/07]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy's question acknowledges, these issues are a matter for the HSE and I have consulted it to provide a relevant reply to the Deputy. I can confirm that the sum of €1.5 million allocated to the HSE for these services in the current year was divided equally between the fields of sudden cardiac death and heart failure.

As for the funding of €750,000 for sudden cardiac death, it was agreed to prioritise the co-ordination and development of first response by employing one national and four regional co-ordinators within pre-hospital care and six pre-hospital resuscitation training officers. The sum of €520,000 was allocated to the National Hospitals Office for this purpose in the current year.

Plans for the remaining sudden cardiac death funding include media campaigns and joint funding of a further module of the medical emergency responders integration and training, MERIT, programme with the pre-hospital emergency care council. MERIT is a managed programme providing automated external defibrillators and relevant training to GP practices in most areas of the country. Areas still to be funded are the former North Eastern, Midlands and Northern Area Health Board regions.

A total of €750,000 was allocated for heart failure. It was agreed to prioritise support of the chronic disease management pilot project at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin. Further spending was allocated to support heart failure community development projects in the Cavan-Monaghan and Louth-Meath areas. New developments in heart failure services at Beaumont Hospital, St. James's Hospital and Cork University Hospital are also being funded this year. Funding of €421,000 together with approval for the necessary whole-time equivalents were assigned for the implementation of these services in the current year. The availability of this funding is subject to HSE financial restraints. However, it is our policy to ensure these services are rolled out in all parts of the country.

In 2006, a commitment was given to support a three-year heart failure programme in conjunction with the Heartbeat Trust, which supports research and special services in the heart failure unit of St. Vincent's University Hospital. In 2007, the year-two costs of this programme were met from the targeted investment funding allocated for sudden cardiac death and heart failure, which were divided equally.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I acknowledge that the old regional ambulance service in the Eastern Regional Health Authority was supportive of community first responder schemes that were set up in Wicklow. There were around 30 groups and nearly 500 volunteers. After the establishment of the HSE and the Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Death, however, the scheme nearly collapsed, and would have done so if it were not for the volunteering spirit of certain individuals and the community. It is a fantastic scheme, but it has received no support over the last 18 months.

A nice press release that came through my fax on 3 October gave the impression that the world and its mother were being moved to implement the recommendations of the task force, but it simply has not happened. A total of 48 recommendations were supposed to have been implemented by the end of 2006, but I do not know whether any of them have been to date. The press release mentioned that members of the SCD implementation steering group had met a number of community first responders' groups. I know the group in Wicklow has made numerous attempts to meet these officials. I ask the Minister to ensure that they meet and assist these groups, because it will be impossible to re-establish them if they collapse. The press release also mentioned that there was a template available for first responders' groups, but I have not been able to obtain this. I ask the Minister to contact the steering group and ask that it take a more proactive approach in dealing with the groups that have already been set up.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the efforts of volunteers, on whom the success of this programme depends, from every part of the country. The provision of defibrillators is a bottom-up approach. Apart from the funding being provided by the HSE, there are many communities which are making major contributions towards the purchase of defibrillators. Agencies such as Údarás na Gaeltachta have also made a contribution. It is important to have the infrastructure, including defibrillators, in place but it is more important that we have first responders who can provide the service.

Deputy Timmins mentioned the report of the Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Death, which was published in March of last year. Of its 75 recommendations, as the Deputy pointed out, 48 were considered to require immediate implementation. Action has been taken on these 48 recommendations. Currently, the Department and the HSE are in the early stages of developing proposals on how community groups may best be supported and the setting up of first responder schemes, including training and the acquisition of defibrillators. As for the group mentioned by the Deputy in his own county, I will raise this issue with the HSE.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Could the Minister give a commitment that he will investigate the possibility of supporting these schemes? They do not need money, as this is provided by the communities. They just need training and administrative back-up whereby they can ring someone in the ambulance service if something goes wrong. There are many groups waiting to be trained, including several in Wicklow and Kildare and one, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, in Askamore in your beloved Wexford. They have volunteers, but the training is not forthcoming. Will the Minister consider having this training provided?

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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There are 100 front-line patients attending the cardiac rehabilitation unit at Ennis General Hospital but because of the health recruitment freeze and funding cuts that service is under threat. I want a commitment from the Minister that the service will continue. It is invaluable to patients and should not be threatened because of these cuts. Can the Minister give a commitment that it will continue into the future?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Far be it from me to take over the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's responsibility, but the question does not deal with this matter. However, I will pursue——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Minister may answer the part of the question that is appropriate.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I will certainly pursue the matter.

On a more general note, as the Minister of State with responsibility for health promotion, I am committed, together with my colleagues and particularly the Minister, Deputy Harney, to overseeing the development of a new cardiovascular health strategy which will build on the success of the Building Healthier Hearts strategy while taking into account the changed landscape of today's Ireland.

I am glad Deputy Timmins mentioned the ambulance service. Too many people ring the doctor or the hospital in an emergency, which is wrong and a waste of time. If there is one message I want to make clear, it is that people should dial for the ambulance service. I will pursue the issues raised by the Deputy.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I indicated that I wanted to ask a question.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am afraid there was no time to call Deputy Ó Caoláin as I had to call the Deputy who tabled the question.