Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I understand the anger and frustration of family members who experience difficulty accessing the health service or the appropriate services in hospitals. Particularly, I understand the frustration and anger of parents who have children waiting for treatment. That is why the Government is determined to build the national children's hospital.

When we looked at the capital budget for this year for all of the various things we might do, whether building roads, providing transport or developing all of the other infrastructural development of the capital programme, the one area the Government decided to prioritise and ensure that the funding for it was protected was the hospital system and the health services to ensure that we can provide services, including those for cystic fibrosis patients. To be clear about it, the Government is committed to work through this to ensure that the services are provided and that we will reduce the waiting time and the difficulties being experienced by people, including by cystic fibrosis patients.

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