28 November 2006
Dr. Henry: I support the suggestion that we have a debate on the National Children's Hospital. It is a national hospital not a constituency hospital.
Mr. B. Hayes: Hear, hear.
Dr. Henry: I congratulate Senator Brian Hayes on having discovered there was no scoring of the various tenders that were put forward for the hospital.
Since becoming a Member of the House I have asked five times about the situation regarding children born with spina bifida and anencephaly. For genetic reasons we have the highest incidence of these conditions in the world. The only possible way of dealing with this problem is by fortifying flour with folic acid. The Minister for Health and Children eventually agreed to this following numerous reports and studies by the Department. Many other countries which have a much lower incidence than is the case in Ireland have already fortified flour. Approximately 70 to 100 children with this condition are born here each year. Other women who find out in a scan that their babies have such a condition go to England for abortions. Children born with anencephaly do not survive after delivery.
To my horror I discovered that although the Minister for Health and Children has agreed that flour should be fortified she has set up a group to implement the idea and it is estimated that the implementation process will take a year. That means another year will go by when 70 to 100 children will be born with this serious or fatal condition. In excess of 1,000 such children have been born since I became a Member of this House. Is there any sense of urgency about such serious issues here?
I urge the Leader to invite the Minister for Health and Children to the House to deal with this issue that affects children. It is deplorable that people can be treated in such an inhumane manner and that nothing has been done about a matter that could be rectified. The rate could be brought down to almost zero - as is the case elsewhere - yet we with the highest incidence do nothing. I do not intend tabling another Adjournment matter on this subject because I am sick, sore and tired of just getting the same rubbish in reply.
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