Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 235: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the support services and programmes that are available to a person (details supplied); the amount of funding given in the years 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 to people suffering from bulimia; if the diseases of bulimia and anorexia are dealt with under the same budget; the number of people suffering from bulimia and anorexia here; the number of hospital beds available specifically for people with these diseases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14993/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 236: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the fact that a person suffering from bulimia for 11 years was refused funding assistance for an eating disorders course in St. Patrick's Hospital because there is a free course available in St. Vincent's Hospital; she was subsequently told by St. Vincent's there are too many anorexics demanding priority funding and therefore there is no possibility that a person suffering from bulimia can be helped; as her body and mind deteriorates, the health board will continue to pay her a pension instead of using the money to help her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14994/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 235 and 236 together.

The future direction and delivery of all aspects of our mental health services, including services for persons with eating disorders, were considered in the context of the work of the expert group on mental health policy. The group's report, entitled A Vision for Change, was published on 24 January 2006.

In its report, the expert group noted that epidemiological data from other jurisdictions suggest an annual incidence of ten cases of anorexia nervosa per 100,000 females and of 0.5 for males. The ratio of anorexia nervosa to bulimia nervosa is usually given as four to one. Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa come within the remit of the mental health services. In this regard, an additional €25 million was made available this year to the HSE for the future development of our mental health services.

A Vision for Change acknowledges gaps in the current provision of mental health services for persons with eating disorders. At present, there are three designated specialist beds for the treatment of eating disorders in the public mental health service and two eight bed units in the private sector. The two private services, while mainly catering for private patients, also take public patients paid for by the HSE.

Recommendations made by the expert group regarding services for persons with eating disorders include support for health promotion initiatives that encourage greater community and family awareness of eating disorders, the further development of primary and community care services and the provision of a full multidisciplinary team in a national centre for eating disorders. The Government has accepted the expert group's report as the basis for the future development of the mental health services.

The Health Service Executive, which has primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations of A Vision for Change is in the process of establishing an implementation group to ensure that the recommendations are realised in a timely and co-ordinated manner. I have recently appointed an independent monitoring group, as recommended in the report, to oversee the implementation of A Vision for Change. This group will hold its inaugural meeting shortly.

Elements of the Deputy's questions which relate to a specific case concern the management and delivery of services which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, the Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to have this matter investigated and to issue a reply directly to the Deputy.