Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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469. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that cardiac transplant surgery for persons under 16 years of age is not carried out here; his plans to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9831/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Irish paediatric patients travel to the UK for heart transplants under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. Paediatric kidney transplants are carried out in the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street.

Around 5 to 6 paediatric heart transplant cases arise in Ireland each year and the current policy reflects this low level of activity.

The possibility of heart transplants for paediatric patients being undertaken in Ireland will be considered in the future in the context of the new Children's Hospital.