Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this matter to be raised on the Adjournment. The decision by Iarnród Éireann to discontinue the FasTrack service from 31 March will have life-threatening consequences for a number of individuals who depend on the service for the transport of blood samples to Dublin hospitals from different locations throughout the country.

A deeply distressed mother recently contacted me about the consequences of the discontinuation of the service. Her daughter suffers from a life-threatening and lifelong metabolic disorder, maple syrup urine disease. If this condition is not treated aggressively, it can lead to convulsions, brain damage and even death. This disease requires the mother to send a blood sample to Temple Street Hospital weekly and sometimes daily when the child suffers from illnesses such as chest infections, sore throats, toothaches, kidney infections or any condition which puts stress on the body. The sample must be analysed on the day it is taken to get an accurate reading so the mother of the child, under direction of the metabolic unit in Temple Street, can administer the appropriate dosage of medicine to treat the child's condition. If the sample is not received on the day it is taken, the consequences could be fatal. Sometimes the metabolic unit might advise the mother to have the child admitted to Kerry General Hospital or even to be taken by ambulance to Temple Street.

Currently the child's blood sample is transported on FasTrack from Limerick. Her mother finds this a very satisfactory arrangement, as there is an almost hourly service from Limerick to Dublin. The service is also used by two other families from Foynes and Askeaton in County Limerick which have children affected by a similar condition.

In January the Health Service Executive in Tralee was informed that the service will be discontinued on commercial grounds because it was losing money. The mother in question has contacted a number of courier services operating in the Kerry and Limerick region but they could not give a guarantee delivery of a sample on the day it was taken on every occasion because of weather conditions or other circumstances.

I appeal to Iarnród Éireann to review this decision and consider providing a scaled-down service to facilitate the transport of blood samples, X-rays and, in some cases, even blood transfusions from individuals and hospitals. These are not bulky items and would need very little space on a train. If there is space available for bicycles on new trains, surely there could be a provision for medical items.

This could be a matter of life and death for a number of families and it warrants the Minister of State's intervention with both the HSE and Iarnród Éireann. The company made a very insensitive decision on this without consultation with unions, the HSE or the Department of Health and Children. It did not realise the consequences of its actions because the service operates very well currently for both hospitals and individuals. If it is taken away, there will be repercussions and it will be a source of intense worry for the families and people affected. These people are under much strain already and they want to ensure the health of their children is protected, with the children given every chance of survival and hope to lead normal lives. Without this service, it will be very difficult to transport the blood samples to Dublin and get proper advice and medical intervention. I appeal to the Minister of State to take this matter seriously. I hope he can progress it further following this debate.

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Deenihan for raising this matter, to which I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

I assure the Deputy that the Minister and the HSE are committed to the highest level of patient care in our hospitals and throughout the health service, including in those circumstances where sick persons are enabled to remain in their homes. It is particularly important in the case of a child suffering from a severe illness that there should be no additional cause for concern for the family due to a failure in a system which is outside their control and, indeed, that of the health service.

In the case in question, the child's illness requires that, when a certain status prevails in her condition, a blood sample must be brought to Dublin to be tested in Temple Street Hospital on the same day. The HSE has been reimbursing the family for the cost of the rail transport whenever the service is required. It is understood that this occurs approximately 70 times per year. The family has been informed by Iarnród Éireann that it will no longer be able to provide the conditions for carrying the blood samples by the fast track service from the end of March 2009. The termination of this service has understandably given cause for alarm and concern to the family, particularly because the facility provided through the service had been instrumental in enabling the child to remain in her home in Listowel.

The HSE is fully aware of the withdrawal of the rail service and understands the implications for the patient and her family. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that it is now in communication with the family and is examining the alternative arrangements that can be put in place to transport the samples as required. In light of the fact that the existing service will continue until the end of March, there is some time to make suitable alternative arrangements in order that there will be no gap in services. The HSE is committed to finding a satisfactory solution to this problem and has assured the Minister that it will pursue the matter in the coming weeks.