Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of people who were registered blind in each year since 2004; the number of those who were registered blind as a result of diabetic retinopathy each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35245/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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There is no State system for the registration for people who are blind. However, the National Council for the Blind of Ireland operates a system of registration for people with a visual impairment. If you are registered as a blind person with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland this registration is usually accepted as satisfying the blindness criteria for State schemes such as the Blind Pension, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Blind Welfare Allowance. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland provides a range of services to over 14,000 people with a wide range of visual impairments including those who are blind. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland has informed my Department that 453 people with a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy and a wide range of visual impairment are using their services

The National Physical and Sensory Disability Database (NPSDD) collects information on the health and personal social service needs of people with a physical/sensory disability including those with a visual impairment.

The primary focus of the NPSDD is to facilitate service planning and provision; it also aims to record the details of people availing of, or requiring, a specialised health and personal social service. As not every individual in Ireland who has a physical, sensory or speech and language disability is availing of, or requiring a specialised health and personal social service, it cannot give a definite number of people with any specific disability. Additionally, participation in the NPSDD is voluntary; the Database may not, therefore, cover a proportion of people living in Ireland who have a physical, sensory or speech and language disability, and who have chosen not to register. The NPSDD cannot therefore, provide any definitive epidemiological statement on the number of people with a particular type of disability. However, the data available is outlined below.

[1Please note that those people who specify their type of disability as 'Visual disability' does not necessarily mean they are blind. These clients have may have a diagnosis of cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment, visual disturbances among others.

[2These figures refer to those people registered on the database who have specified a 'visual disability' as well as either a hearing, speech & language and/or physical disability. [3]Those with a diagnosis of 'Retinopathy' are not necessarily as a result of diabetes, the NPSDD does not capture any other information as to the cause of their disability, just their diagnostic category.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of full or partial lower limb amputations carried out in 2008; the number of foot amputations that were carried out on people under 65 years of age in 2008; the number of those patients who had diabetes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35246/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Diabetes is a common metabolic condition that affects approximately 1 in 20 people in Ireland. It carries a risk of medical complications, including peripheral arterial disease, which on occasion, requires surgical amputation of the affected limb. In 2006 my Department published its policy "Diabetes: Prevention and a model for Patient Care". In November 2008 the Health Service Executive published the report of its Diabetes Expert Advisory Group to take forward and implement the policy recommendations. This represents a blueprint for the development of services for patients with diabetes over the coming years. It is patient focussed, emphasises prevention and highlights foot care as a critical component of diabetes care.

The information as requested by the Deputy is set out below.

Lower Limb Amputations

Total and with Diagnosis of Diabetes, 2008

Source: Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE).

Note: Data refer to discharges from publicly funded acute hospitals. Private hospitals are not included.