Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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496. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 432 of 18 October 2016 and 339 of 6 December 2016, when the national steering group established by him to develop policy on a major trauma system for Ireland will publish its first report; if the group visited St Luke's Hospital to assess the current services; the status of the group's recommendations specifically in respect of St Luke's Hospital, County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8681/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The development of a policy on a trauma system for Ireland is a joint initiative from the Department of Health and the HSE. The primary aim of developing this policy is to improve patient outcomes and to lead to a reduction in preventable death and disability by ensuring that the trauma patient is delivered to the care facility that has the right resources to match his/her often multiple and critical needs in the shortest time possible.

The trauma care pathway encompasses pre-hospital care, Emergency Department resuscitation and emergency surgical intervention, reconstruction of injuries and rehabilitation. A Steering Group on a Trauma System for Ireland was established by the Minister (Chaired by Prof Eilis McGovern) in 2015. Five Working Groups were also established to make recommendations to the Steering Group in relation to each of the components of the trauma care pathway and in relation to the configuration of a trauma system for Ireland.

Given its scale, the development of the policy is still work in progress but it is expected the Steering Group's report will be completed as soon as possible in 2017.