Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 503: To ask the Minister for Health the current capacity of beds in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; and the capacity was over the past five years. [25699/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 504: To ask the Minister for Health the current number of staff vacancies in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. [25700/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 505: To ask the Minister for Health the total number of staff employed in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. [25701/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 506: To ask the Minister for Health the number of bed closures in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, over the past year. [25702/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 503 to 506, inclusive, together.

As these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 507: To ask the Minister for Health when it is planned to roll out a diabetic retinopathy screening programme; if screening will be provided in counties Cork and Kerry; the budget that has been assigned to the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25725/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE National Clinical Programme for Diabetes - which includes the care of children and adolescents with diabetes - is established within the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Directorate. is programme is supported by a multidisciplinary team with representation from a number of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, Podiatrists, GPs and the Diabetes Federation of Ireland.

The National Diabetes Working group is working through a number of key objectives; one of these is the development of a national diabetic retinopathy screening programme by the National Screening Programme (NCSS) - which was formally requested earlier this year by the HSE National Directorate of Clinical Strategy and Programmes to start the development of the retinopathy screening programme. is work has started; however, the development of the programme will inevitably prove protracted given the scale of the work involved in establishing such a new programme - especially given the fundamental principle that quality assured outcomes for diabetic patients is not compromised; and on this basis, it is not anticipated that it will be ready to start in the first quarter of 2012. A budget of €1.6m has been assigned to the project for 2011.