Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of cancelled elective operations in each area in 2005 and 2006 and to date in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17589/07]

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of elective surgeries that were cancelled in each of the health regions for 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17630/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 87 together.

Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote. The HSE monitors the level of elective activity in each acute hospital. A month on month comparison of elective activity for 2006 compared with 2005 was carried out by the HSE and it did not indicate any significant change in the proportion of elective work. The analysis also suggested that elective activity had not suffered as a consequence of the focus on managing A & E performance.

The National Hospitals Office (NHO) of the HSE is responsible for the collection and publication of performance data on acute hospitals nationally. The NHO has been implementing a system across all NHO hospitals during late 2006 and 2007 to collect a range of performance monitoring data, including information on cancellation rates. Depending on hospital systems, start dates for collection of this information has varied across the hospitals. My Department has requested the HSE to furnish as much information as possible to the Deputy in the matter.