Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding a child (details supplied) in County Carlow awaiting open heart surgery in Our Ladys Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin; her views on the seriousness of the situation and the way cutbacks to the ICU at the hospital are causing distress to this family; when she expects the child to get the treatment required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41391/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I understand that the child in question is on the cardiac surgery waiting list and that the HSE expects that surgery will be scheduled as soon as possible for this patient. Our Lady's Children's Hospital is the National Centre for Paediatric Cardiology and Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. The demand for paediatric cardiac surgery has increased due to the increased birth rate and the success rates for children who then require further staged surgery.

The HSE has worked with the Paediatric Critical Care Network (PCCN) to address the issue of the need for additional intensive care beds. A new build that will include the replacement of 13 paediatric intensive care beds and an additional 4 beds, providing a total of 17 beds, has been agreed as a new development at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. A design team has recently been appointed and work is under way on the development. It is anticipated that this new development will be completed within 18 months. The HSE is in active discussions with OLCHC with a view to implementing an interim arrangement for cardiac surgery and ICU capacity in advance of the building of the 13 replacement and four additional ICU beds.