Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The improvement of services to persons with cystic fibrosis has been a priority of mine. The negative experience recounted by some patients is a matter of concern to me.

In 2006 and 2007, additional revenue funding of €6.78 million was provided to the Health Service Executive. Some 44 additional staff, covering both adult and paediatric services, have been appointed across a number of hospitals, throughout the country and necessary funding is available to facilitate the recruitment of a further 37 staff nationally.

The HSE was asked to place a particular focus on the development of services at the national adult tertiary referral centre at St. Vincent's Hospital. A number of capital projects have recently been completed at the hospital and have helped to improve facilities. These include a new ambulatory care centre, the refurbishment of St. Camillus ward and a new accident and emergency department, which includes single room accommodation. However, I accept that these developments do not address the immediate needs of patients.

The HSE is currently fast-tracking the redevelopment of a ward which is adjacent to the main cystic fibrosis treatment area. The project is to commence within the next few weeks and will provide six single rooms. On completion, additional work will begin to provide a further eight single rooms. This will result in a total of 14 single rooms for cystic fibrosis patients by the end of the summer.

In the longer term, a new ward block is to be built, which will include 120 replacement beds in single en suite accommodation, including accommodation for cystic fibrosis patients. Planning permission has been obtained, financial provision has been included in the HSE capital plan and the contract is to be awarded this year. It will be a condition of the contract that the design build period is to be not more than 24 months from the date of contract award.

Beaumont Hospital operates as a regional centre in providing services to adults with cystic fibrosis. In 2008, a special allocation of €2.5 million capital funding was provided to enable Beaumont Hospital to provide outpatient facilities for cystic fibrosis patients.

I am keen to support and promote initiatives designed to increase the level of organ donation in this country. I have supported the annual organ donor awareness campaign, organised by the Irish Donor Network and administered by the Irish Kidney Association. I also want to ensure that the organ procurement and retrieval rate is maximised at hospitals around the country. A national audit of potential organ donors commenced last September in 35 acute hospitals with intensive care units. The audit will seek to identify any obstacles to donation and any measures which may be required to increase the level of donation and retrieval of organs at individual hospitals.

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