Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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215. To ask the Minister for Health the number of citizens that are diagnosed with life threatening allergies and-or anaphylaxis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3045/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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216. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children who are diagnosed with life threatening allergies and-or anaphylaxis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3046/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.

Data of the nature requested by the Deputy are not maintained by my Department or by the HSE but on an individual basis by each patient's GP. Data in respect of in-patient and day case discharges from publicly funded acute hospitals with a principal or additional diagnosis of anaphylaxis or allergic reaction is maintained and the figures for 2012 are as per the following table. This data is based on specific diagnosis codes only and other discharges that may be related to allergies e.g. certain respiratory or skin conditions are not included.

It is important to note that this data is based on hospital discharges only and does not include patients with anaphylaxis or allergies who are not admitted to hospital. Further, the data on hospitalisations may include multiple admissions for the same patient. Therefore the data presented here cannot be construed as an estimate of the prevalence of anaphylaxis or allergies in either age group.