Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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90. To ask the Minister for Health if any new surgeons have been employed to date by the Health Service Executive to carry out kidney transplants in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16858/15]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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96. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that the Health Service Executive is taking to fill the two vacant consultant transplant surgeon posts at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9. [16889/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 96 together.

At the end of 2014, two consultant transplant surgeons left the renal and pancreas transplant programme at Beaumont Hospital, one on retirement and the second on leave of absence for professional development purposes. Given the limited number of surgeons who specialise in transplantation, the filling of any vacancies poses a challenge. Every effort is currently being made to fill these vacancies.

Meanwhile, my Department and the HSE are working in collaboration with Beaumont Hospital to ensure that measures are put in place to alleviate current pressures and to address the challenges facing the transplant personnel and the hospital management.