Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. I am a member of the Oireachtas all-party committee to do with diabetes. It is an area I have a special interest in because I know many people who are patients under the diabetic services, and I hear from them regularly.

While I note there were isolated cases in Mullingar hospital recently, there is a fear within the services and within the different CHO areas that there will be a knock-on effect. Insulin pumps have been a life-changing experience for people with diabetes, especially for children because many are involved in activities, sitting exams or going to school. The pump picks up when a person's sugar levels are low and it automatically gives them an injection of what they need to sustain themselves. As a result of the embargo to do with staff shortages or if a diabetic nurse is out sick or off on holidays, there is nobody there to look after the children or to advise. These diabetic nurses are so important across all CHO areas. It has been seen across some of the hospitals that there is no staff to actually put in the pumps and to look after the children with the pumps. What plans do the Government and the Department of Health have going forward to deal with this issue?