Written answers

Wednesday, 15 February 2017

Department of Health

Hospital Facilities

Photo of Noel RockNoel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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223. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the decision to cut funding for the centre for narcolepsy in St. James’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7569/17]

Photo of Noel RockNoel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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224. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the decision to cut funding for the centre for narcolepsy in St. James’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7570/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Comments

Mairead Lawless
Posted on 16 Feb 2017 8:41 pm (Report this comment)

The HSE has already confirmed that funding has not been approved although disappointingly not directly to those patients and families involved who were promised a Centre of Excellence. I would like Minister Simon Harris to now clarify the following- Where do those young people transitioning from the children's Narcolepsy service at Temple Street go, if the HSE driven and promised Centre of Excellence at St James's is not being funded? Who is accountable for this decision? The Minister cannot blame the HSE when it is they who commenced the development of the Centre. The Minister cannot blame St James's - the hospital is fully committed along with Dr Colin Doherty to its development. How do we, the affected families, find out what is going on? When does the Minister and his Department own his/it's decisions? Or alternatively disclose why the funding has not been committed as promised?

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