Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date of establishment of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre; if this group is still in existence; the purpose and role of this group; the number of members of the board of this group; the number of whom are appointed by her; the person the remaining board members are appointed by; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6248/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC) was established in late 1998 conjointly by the eight Health Boards and with the approval of the Minister of Health and Children. The NDSC was governed by a Board of Management nominated by the Chief Executives of the Health Boards and the Department of Health and Children. With the establishment of the Health Service Executive (HSE) the NDSC became the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) under the aegis of the HSE on 1st January 2005.

The Mission Statement of the HPSC is "To improve the health of the Irish population by provision of the best possible information on disease including infectious diseases through surveillance and independent advice, epidemiological investigation, research and training."

HPSC has six main areas of responsibility, namely, surveillance of some of the major communicable diseases; operational support by providing expert advice to, and responding to requests for support from, departments of public health or hospitals; training for professionals working in communicable disease control; research in identifying and developing best practice in communicable diseases; policy advice to Departments and appropriate agencies in relation to the development of standards, guidelines and practices, and promoting the adoption of best practice by different agencies; and providing information on infectious diseases to the public and the media.