Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in providing for additional kidney dialysis capacity in County Kilkenny and in County Limerick; her views on the failure to reach timeframe targets; if she has plans to withdraw the contracts and provide the service through other means; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17766/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive 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.

My Department is aware that the HSE undertook a National Renal Review to inform the approach to the future development of renal services. The Report of the Review Group was completed over a year ago and developments in renal services have since been guided by the thinking in the report. The Renal Review Group identified the need for the early introduction of a follow-on implementation plan. The HSE has decided that such a plan needs to be aligned with its Transformation Programme. The HSE has further determined that the Report of the Review Group should be reviewed by an external expert/consultancy and arrangements are to be put in place to this effect.