As the Minister knows, I have raised the bizarre situation whereby there are no plans to relocate the genomics lab at Crumlin Children's Hospital when other services move to the St. James's Hospital site. It has now come to my attention that we are sending Irish samples to the United States, the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Finland for genomics testing. There are concerns about how the data on Irish patients' genetics is being handled. This issue could be addressed and the tests returned quite quickly - in a fraction of the time, in fact - in a newly accredited private lab in Dublin. Why is the HSE refusing to inform me about what is happening with Irish patients' samples? Why can we not have Irish scientists testing Irish samples?

The Deputy is a person with a great interest in scientific matters and has a lot more expertise than I do in this area. I hope he knows that the HSE, if it is procuring genomics testing in other parts of the European Union or elsewhere in the world rather than Ireland, will only do so if such testing is carried out in laboratories in which it has confidence. It will only send samples to other places of research that it believes meet the right standards. I cannot give the Deputy a specific answer regarding the status of the genomic laboratory in Crumlin hospital, but I will ensure that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly is aware he has raised this issue and he receives a response. I am not denying the Deputy an answer, but he needs and deserves one.