Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 169: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she expects Kerry General Hospital to receive the full-time consultant cardiologist it has long been promised. [2993/06]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a request will be made to the Health Service Executive to appoint a full time cardiologist at Kerry General Hospital in view of the fact that County Kerry has the highest incidence of cardiac related illnesses here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3055/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 228 together.

In April 2004 funding of €500,000 was allocated to the Southern Health Board under the cardiovascular health strategy. The funding enabled the board to establish a consultant-led cardiology service for patients in Kerry for the first time. A consultant cardiologist was appointed in March 2005 by way of a sessional partnership between Bon Secours Hospital Tralee and Kerry General Hospital. This consultant has resigned from his post, as of 1 June 2006. This appointment has been recently re-advertised by the Bons Secour Group. An application for a full time consultant cardiologist for Kerry General Hospital has been with the NHO since May 2005. The HSE southern area are awaiting approval and confirmation of funding to proceed with the appointment. The provision of additional consultant posts will proceed within the context of the restructuring of the acute hospital services and the negotiation of a new contract for hospital consultants.