313 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients reporting to the accident and emergency department of Tullamore and Portlaoise Hospitals with injuries as a result of an assault in the past four years. [23075/01]

The information requested by the Deputy is not routinely collected by my Department. As responsibility for the provision of services at Tullamore and Portlaoise general hospitals rests with the Midland Health Board, my Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the matter and to reply directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.