The State's largest children's hospital, Our Lady's, Crumlin, Dublin, has issued a staunch defence of its handling of children on its waiting-list for heart surgery.
It has said there are now only 36 children waiting for cardiac surgery at the hospital, which it claims has capacity to deal with all urgent cases currently presenting.
The statement from the hospital came after it was urged to explain why it had earlier in the year contemplated sending more than 30 children abroad for heart surgery and then changed its mind.
It had discussed the matter with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) which buys treatment in private hospitals at home and abroad for public patients who have been waiting considerable periods for treatment.
The hospital said there was no question of it not co-operating with the NTPF.
It had during the summer and autumn expedited cardiac surgery cases by having theatres open outside normal working hours and at weekends.
"The hospital has been able to treat all urgent cases and thereby eliminate the need to refer urgent cases abroad for surgery," it said.
It added that most of the 36 patients on its cardiac waiting list this month were waiting less than three months.
The hospital had also recently sought additional funds from the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) to carry out an extra cardiac surgery day every week.
This would finally end the need to refer patients abroad, it claimed.