Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Health

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on planned advances in diabetic paediatric services to widen the availability of insulin pumps for children under five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

HSE REPLY
The National Paediatric Clinical Programme set up a working group in conjunction with the National Diabetes Clinical Programme to review the provision of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy (pump therapy).  The group has determined that pump therapy should be the primary treatment option for suitable children under five years with type 1 diabetes.  It was agreed that this treatment option could be made available in a number of regional centres and that additional nursing and dietetic resources would be required in order to provide the service.  The centres are Cork, Crumlin, Limerick / Galway, Tallaght and Temple Street.  Recruitment of the additional resources has commenced.