Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who were registered blind in each year since 2004 in each of the counties of Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Meath and in the Health Service Executive North East area; 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. [9678/10]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who were registered blind in each year since 2004 and to date in 2010 in each of the counties of Kerry and Limerick; 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. [9798/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 90 together.

There is no State system for the registration of 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.

In addition, 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, as 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.

My Department is seeking the information sought by the Deputies from the National Council for the Blind of Ireland and the NPSDD and will be in touch with the Deputies as soon as possible.