Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 24: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the most recent steps she has taken to deal with the MRSA problem in hospitals; if there is evidence that this new strategy is working; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4168/05]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 28: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken to control the spread of the MRSA in our hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4249/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 24 and 28 together.

The strategy for the control of antimicrobial resistance, SARI, was launched in June 2001. Since then, approximately €20.5 million in funding has been made available by my Department for this purpose. Of this, approximately €4.5 million has been made available in the current year. This SARI funding is in addition to normal hospital funding arrangements for to infection control.

The strategy for the control of antimicrobial resistance in Ireland recommended that a national SARI committee be established to develop guidelines, protocols and strategies to deal with antimicrobial resistance. This committee was established in late 2002 and as part of its remit provides advice to the regional SARI committees which were established as a result of the strategy's recommendations.

Effective infection control measures, including environmental cleaning and hand hygiene, are central to the control of health care associated infections, including drug resistant organisms such as MRSA. The infection control subcommittee of SARI recently prepared draft guidelines for the control of MRSA in Irish hospitals and community health care settings. The key recommendations cover such areas as environmental cleanliness, bed occupancy levels, isolation facilities, hand hygiene, appropriate antibiotic use and protocols for the screening and detection of MRSA. These draft guidelines, based on the best evidence available internationally, are a key component in the response to MRSA in Ireland. When finalised, these recommendations will replace guidelines issued by my Department in 1995 on MRSA.

The HSE has identified hospital infection control as a priority area and is currently in discussion with SARI representatives to develop a common approach to this area. A number of initiatives are being considered, for example, development of national standards for infection control infrastructure in hospital building programmes.