Adult cardiac by-pass surgery in the public health sector is currently carried out at three centres, the Mater Misericordiae Hospital Dublin, Cork University Hospital and since September 1998, St. James's Hospital, Dublin. Paediatric cardiac surgery is carried out at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children Crumlin.
As the Deputy will be aware, public patient waiting list statistics are collected by hospitals and furnished to my Department on a quarterly basis. At the end of December 1998, the most recent period for which information is available, there was a total of 776 adults awaiting cardiac surgery over 12 months, and 380 waiting for three to 12 months. There was a total of 57 children awaiting cardiac surgery over six months, and 16 waiting for three to six months.
Regarding average waiting times and length of time on the cardiac surgery list for patients, the Deputy may wish to know that, on foot of the recommendations of the waiting list initiative review group report, agencies are finalising the validation of their waiting lists in line with the policy circular and guidelines, issued by my Department on 7 January 1999. I will revert to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity with this information which should provide a more comprehensive and accurate picture of the situation regarding details of waiting times for cardiac surgery.