Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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372. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide financial assistance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8796/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE funds cord blood collection in cases where the cord blood stem cells are collected for donation to an identified family member in high risk families. In these cases the collection is clinically indicated by a consultant overseeing care and is undertaken in collaboration with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

The HSE does not fund the collection of cord blood stem cells for an unidentified need which may arise in the future. It is open to individual hospitals to accommodate patients who wish to avail of this service on a case by case basis. In such circumstances, arrangements for the collection of cord blood are made between the patient and a third party commercial entity.

Given that the cord blood stem cells that were collected in this instance were not for donation to an identified family member in a high risk family, I am not in a position to provide any financial assistance to the individual concerned.