Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 85: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the Joint Committee on Health and Children being told that the increase in type 2 diabetes has reached crisis levels; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that people are getting the disease at a younger age and the average delay in diagnosis has moved from seven to 12 years; her views on the call for national screening for eye problems in particular and for implementation of care services including foot services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8549/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The national task force on obesity reported an increase in type 2 diabetes and that it is affecting people at a younger age. Additional funding of €3 million has been made available to the Health Service Executive to support the implementation of the report's recommendations.

The national diabetes working group submitted its report to the Tánaiste last summer. The report was forwarded to the chief executive of the Health Service Executive in October 2005. The HSE is treating the matter as a priority. It is currently considering the policy guidelines issued from my Department and is putting in place a structure to action the report. The issues raised by the Deputy relate to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.