Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received the report of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine, Health and Safety Standards for Irish accident and emergency departments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17356/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I have not received a copy, to date, of the report referred to by the Deputy.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on claims by the former Irish Medical Organisation president that trolley counts in large hospitals' accident and emergency departments are being artificially reduced by refusing to admit seriously ill patients from other hospitals; the number of patients that have been affected to date in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17606/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Inter hospital transfers of patients are a feature of the hospital system. Every effort is made to accommodate such transfers where necessary from a clinical perspective and to do so as speedily as possible.

Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.