Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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467. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of an issue with children under six years of age and over awaiting sequential and bilateral cochlear implants at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; if funding allocated to the cochlear implant programme has been reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14750/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has confirmed that funding for the cochlear implant programme has not been reduced. Beaumont Hospital is the national centre for the delivery of the programme, with surgical provision also provided for children at Temple Street. €3.22m was provided in the 2014 National Service Plan to undertake a service to provide bilateral implants, and in 2015 and 2016 National Service Plans provided for the continuation of development of the service. Theatre capacity issues are being experienced currently and I am advised that Beaumont Hospital and the HSE are working actively to address these.