Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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835. To ask the Minister for Health if implementation of the national diabetic retinal screening programme has been contracted out to different organisations/providers; if so the details of those organisations/providers and the catchment area for each; the funding allocated to each; the basis on which the organisations/providers were awarded the contracts; if other organisations/providers sought to provide the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19192/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service issue the matter has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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836. To ask the Minister for Health when the national diabetic retinal screening programme began screening; the targets for numbers to be screened; the number of persons that have been screened to date by each screening organisation; the number of appointments made for screening at each screening organisation that did not subsequently take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19193/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Diabetic RetinaScreen, the national diabetic retinopathy screening programme, commenced screening at the end of February 2013. The HSE National Clinical Programme on Diabetes estimate there are 190,000 diabetics in Ireland. The Diabetic RetinaScreenregister currently has 147,000 people. The programme is firmly on target to meet its HSE Service Plan commitment that all clients on the Diabetic RetinaScreenregister will be invited by the end of 2014. At the end of March 2014, over 72,000 have been invited to participate. Those who have been invited are currently dispersed at the various steps of the screening pathway, including consent, appointment, screening, results and possible treatment. As with all call, re-call population-based screening programmes in Ireland and in other jurisdictions, statistical data cannot be accurately calculated until after the end of the screening round. This is to ensure that all those invited and at the various stages of their screening journey have been accounted for with a final outcome, which will include those who did not attend.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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837. To ask the Minister for Health the reason general practitioners making referrals to the national diabetic retinal screening programme can only make individual referrals and cannot simply submit a patient list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19194/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Diabetic RetinaScreen, the national diabetic retinopathy screening programme, operates a national call, re-call population screening programme. No referrals are required. This mirrors the approach taken with other population based screening programmes, BreastCheck, CervicalCheck and BowelScreen. Diabetic RetinaScreenprovides a facility to all GPs whereby they can register their patient with the programme once a diagnosis of diabetes has been confirmed and also obtained their patient’s consent to register with the programme. Health professionals can also check if their existing diabetic patients are on the diabetic retinopathy register. Registration is currently undertaken by calling Freephone 1800 45 45 55. This will shortly be supplemented by an on-line registration facility.