I raise a problem that people with diabetes face in my area, the mid-west region. I have been contacted by a constituent with diabetes who said that services for adults with the condition in Tipperary, Limerick and Clare are severely lacking. She inquired about accessing an insulin pump but found that she would have to go to Cork to do so. I have since become aware that this is the case throughout Tipperary, Limerick and Clare because this service in the University Hospital Limerick is available only for children with diabetes. A service for adults is not available and they have to travel to Cork, Galway or Dublin. This is just one of a range of problems for people with diabetes in the region, which also includes regular appointment cancellations because there are not enough staff to provide the service. As the Tánaiste will be aware, regular appointments are important for people with diabetes; otherwise, they could face severe complications.

Do the Government and the Minister for Health have plans to address the problem in the near future?

I appreciate this is an important issue that the Deputy is absolutely right and entitled to raise in the House. Unfortunately, I do not have an update to hand and I do not want to mislead him. I will certainly tell the Minister the matter was raised and try to get the Deputy a written reply next week.