Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 63: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the efforts she is making to improve specialist health services in the midlands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15496/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Responsibility for improvements in specialist health services in the former Midland Health Board region rests with the Health Service Executive, HSE. The executive has advised that a number of capital and service developments have been progressed in the area in recent years to facilitate the improvement of specialist health services in the region. Principal among the capital developments that have been progressed are: building work on a new hospital on the campus of the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore is almost complete; a major capital development at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise is near completion. A new 50-bed acute psychiatric unit and a new 25-bed paediatric unit were commissioned in May 2004 as part of this development and work on a new accident and emergency unit commenced in March this year. A 12-bed assessment unit at the Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar has been commissioned.

In addition to these capital developments, a number of service developments have also been progressed in the area in recent years including: the development of a consultant-led oncology service based at Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore; cardiology services and consultant-led accident and emergency services at the three Midland Regional Hospital sites; the appointment of consultant paediatricians at Mullingar and Portlaoise; the commissioning of a renal dialysis unit at Tullamore; and the provision of special care baby units at Mullingar and Portlaoise which are facilitating the earlier return of premature babies to the area from the Dublin maternity hospitals. I am satisfied that the above capital and service developments will significantly expand and improve the range of specialist services available to residents in the area.