Written answers

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Department of Health

Defibrillators in Schools

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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310. To ask the Minister for Health his Department's policy on defibrillators in schools; the number of schools with no defibrillator; the number of schools with a defibrillator and no one trained to use it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45159/14]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health has no information on defibrillators in schools nor the operational issues relating to their use within schools.

It was agreed that there are a number or questions that need to be considered when designing a public defibrillation programme for Ireland and Government approval was therefore granted for the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to undertake a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of a Public Access Defibrillator Programme for Ireland. HIQA is currently preparing its Final Draft Report. Public Consultation on this issue ended late October. The health technology assessment of public access defibrillation currently being conducted by HIQA will examine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of different configurations of any potential public access defibrillation programme, which includes matters of training. The HIQA health technology assessment is due to be completed by end November 2014, when its results will be conveyed to the Department of Health for its consideration.

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