Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all the words after "Dáil Éireann" and to substitute the following:

welcomes the significant revenue investment of €6.78 million since 2006 for the development of cystic fibrosis services nationally, the resultant improvement in services and the plans for further significant capital investment during 2008 and beyond to improve hospital facilities, including isolation facilities, for these patients;

welcomes the unprecedented level of funding being invested in mental health and commends the Government for the allocation of €51.2 million since 2006, which represents a third of the additional resources required to implement A Vision for Change over the stated 7-10 year period;

notes the assurances by the Health Service Executive that no decisions have been taken to reduce frontline services in the North East and that in progressing the reconfiguration of services in the region, there will be no discontinuation of existing services until suitable alternative arrangements have been put in place;

acknowledges the improvements in frontline accident and emergency services over the last three years and in particular the overall reduction in the number of patients who were awaiting admission to hospital from an emergency department over this period;

welcomes the cumulative increase in funding for health services of €4.3 billion provided by the Government to the HSE over the four years 2005 to 2008 and notes the substantial improvements in services which have been provided as a result; and

welcomes the progress made since 2001 in providing on average over 1,600 additional public acute beds and endorses the commitment of the Government under the Agreed Programme for Government to provide a further 1,500 additional public acute hospital beds under the co-location initiative, and through the national development plan."

I welcome the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Government and my colleague, Deputy Mary Harney, the Minister for Health and Children, to this motion. Deputy Shatter should know that the Minister for Health and Children is on a long-standing trip to Arizona, arranged by her Department, to visit cancer facilities there.

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