Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the investigations into or reports or papers prepared by her Department into the anorexia nervosa disease; the action taken by her Department as a result of such reports, papers or investigations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9182/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on correspondence (details supplied); her further views on the action taken by her Department in regard to this disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9183/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of deaths recorded by her Department as a result of the anorexia nervosa disease in each of the past five years; the age profile of those recorded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9184/07]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 to 204, inclusive, together.

The report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, "A Vision for Change", was published in January 2006. The report addresses all aspects of mental health services, including services for those with anorexia nervosa. A number of recommendations are made concerning mental health services for people with eating disorders. These 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 multi-disciplinary team in a National Centre for Eating Disorders for complex cases that cannot be managed by local community mental health teams.

Responsibility for the implementation of these recommendations rests with the HSE. The HSE established an implementation group in July 2006 to ensure that mental health services develop in a synchronised and consistent manner across the country and to guide and resource service managers and clinicians in making the recommendations in "A Vision for Change" a reality. I have been informed by the HSE that they plan to publish a Progress Report and outline the proposed implementation programme over the life of "A Vision for Change" in the near future.

"A Vision for Change" notes that it is not possible to derive deaths due to eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, from the Annual Reports on Vital Statistics, as these are not presented as a separate entity. Epidemiological data from other jurisdictions suggest an annual incidence rate of 10 cases of anorexia nervosa per 100,000 females and of 0.5 for males, this represents 400 new cases of anorexia nervosa each year in Ireland. In terms of outcome, anorexia nervosa is regarded as a very serious condition with an estimated mortality rate in the region of 20 per cent.

Complaints about the content of websites relating to anorexia nervosa can be made to the Internet Advisory Board (www.hotline.ie). The Internet Advisory Board is a non-statutory body established by Government in February 2000 to monitor developments relating to the illegal and harmful use of the internet.

In 2006, a sum of €26.2 million was allocated for the development of mental health services in line with "A Vision for Change". A further sum of €25 million has been allocated in 2007 to continue this development. €0.75 million of this additional funding is for the initial development of a dedicated eating disorder service in each HSE area through a combination of reconfiguring existing services and commissioning services from agencies.