Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the Cormac Trust and the proposal put forward by the group calling for the introduction of a mobile ECG unit that would travel around the country monitoring all children about to take up hurling or football at a cost of €1,250,000; her views on allocating funding to this initiative through her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18792/08]

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The Report of the Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Death was published in March, 2006. It makes recommendations on the prevention of sudden cardiac death and on the detection of those at high risk. The issue of systematic assessment of those engaged in sport and exercise was considered by the Task Force and a number of recommendations were made, although none specifically call for ECG screening of children, young people or adults. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for implementing these recommendations and has made progress is consultation with GPs, Cardiologists, the Irish Sports Council and a number of sporting organisations. Where funding for risk assessment schemes is requested, the HSE may consider such applications, taking into account the recommendations of the Task Force.