Written answers
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
Department of Health
Hospital Services
Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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217. To ask the Minister for Health the plans he will put in place, and when, to care for a young Irish person (details supplied) who was injured in an accident in the US and is currently hospitalised in Hamburg, Germany. [15485/14]
James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy has highlighted the Taoiseach wrote to the family of this young man on the 7th March last. The Taoiseach asked that the Department of Health follow up directly with the family. My Department wrote to the parents yesterday.
I understand that the young man is currently receiving care and treatment in Germany and that the need for further appropriate rehabilitation at the National Rehabilitation Hospital will be examined once he has completed this treatment. He remains on the hospital's waiting list.
Reinhard Schaler
Posted on 8 Apr 2014 10:50 am (Report this comment)
The young Irish person did not receive adequate and timely treatment in Ireland. He had to go to Germany to receive it. There are only three beds for patients like him in the whole country (in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire), with a waiting time of around 12 months, and then generally available for only for 3 months.
The Minister's "plan", in response to Pat Deering's question, is: he remains on the waiting list! - No care.
This is *not* an answer to the question put to him by Deputy Deering about the "plans he will put in place, and when, to care for a young Irish person (details supplied) who was injured in an accident in the US and is currently hospitalised in Hamburg, Germany."
This is a cop-out, at best. A denial of care, at worst.