Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an issue that was highlighted on "Prime Time" earlier this week on the incidence of tuberculosis and the lack of screening to detect it. In the 1950s TB was responsible for hundreds of deaths. Even in the past decade there have been 400 to 500 cases. In recent months two cases were highlighted, one in Galway and the other in the midlands. Although thankfully TB has diminished, I was shocked by the danger it still presents. I commend Dr. Austin Carroll and the group of north Dublin GPs who arranged for a mobile screening unit to be brought from England to screen people here. I found it very frightening that within one hour of screening, they detected one case of TB.

Overall, there were six possible cases that day. They highlighted the fact that there is no TB screening in this country. I ask the Leader to request the Minister to come into the House and comment on that fact. They highlighted that it would cost ¤25,000 for a week's screening and that if this could be done twice yearly, as they recommended, it would assist in diminishing the incidence of it. When Peamount Hospital was closed in 2006 the TB unit was moved to St. James's Hospital but currently there are only three TB beds available there and the provision of a unit was promised a few years ago. If there was to be an outbreak of TB in the country we would be seriously caught out. I would like to get the Minister's views on that matter.