Noel Grealish (Galway West, Progressive Democrats)

I am very happy to be taking part in this debate today.

Since last Friday, when the Opposition notified the House that it intended to use Private Members' time to raise its concerns about cystic fibrosis, the Minister, Deputy Harney made a significant announcement regarding the development of the facility at St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin. The announcement has been welcomed by the Cystic Fibrosis Association and I welcome it today. The announcement makes it clear the Government continues to be fully committed to developing the specialist unit for cystic fibrosis at St. Vincent's Hospital and is determined to have it in place early in 2011.

I can understand the concern expressed by people with cystic fibrosis and their families in recent weeks when it was reported that there might be a significant delay in building this facility. However, knowing the Minister, Deputy Harney, as I do, I never doubted for a moment that she would explore every single avenue to ensure the commitment to build this facility would be honoured at the earliest possible time.

It is understandable that people with cystic fibrosis feared there might be a long delay when it was made clear to the Joint Committee on Health and Children two weeks ago that there were problems regarding getting the capital funding to pay for the new block. However, at no stage did the HSE say a decision had been made to put off the construction of the building. In an article in The Irish Times yesterday, it was stated the HSE had announced that the construction would be delayed until 2011 at least, but that is not correct. The HSE made it clear there were problems with the money, but there was no problem in terms of a determination to find a solution. For weeks there has been considerable discussion involving the Department of Health and Children, the HSE and St. Vincent's Hospital aimed at finding a way to deliver the building on schedule, despite the difficulties with the funding. I compliment the Minister, the HSE, St. Vincent's Hospital and others on coming up with a creative new solution to make sure this 120 bed new ward block is built and in place by early 2011.

The HSE will put the project out to tender in a number of weeks. It will invite interest from builders who will construct the new unit and essentially take payment for the building when it is completed. The announcement shows a capacity for lateral, creative and strategic thinking, backed up by a method and organisation that will have to be the hallmark of our health services as we move forward in these difficult economic times.

I am proud to be able to say that since Deputy Harney became the Minister for Health and Children there have been many significant developments in upgrading the level of care available to people with cystic fibrosis. It was she who identified the development of cystic fibrosis services as a policy priority in the wake of the Pollock report. The Health Service Executive multidisciplinary working group, which was set up in the wake of the receipt of the Pollock report, targeted a number of hospitals around the state to be developed as specialist centres. St. Vincent's Hospital was designated by the Minister as the national adult referral centre, while the Children's Hospital in Crumlin was designated as the national referral centre for paediatric cystic fibrosis.

Some €7 million in additional funding was provided to develop services between 2006 and 2007 alone and, as the Minister explained, in many centres around the country extra staff have been provided, across a range of disciplines, to provide specialised care for people with cystic fibrosis. Professor Brendan Drumm, speaking to the Joint Committee on Health and Children two weeks ago, said there has been a significant spend in tackling cystic fibrosis across the country and that we have developed what are, by international standards, very large multidisciplinary teams right across the country. However, he added, "we hope to see the dependency in bringing young people with cystic fibrosis to hospital diminishing rapidly". As he put it, the system should be focused, treating people with cystic fibrosis in their homes rather than having them come together at risk to themselves.

While it is understandable and correct that there be a strong concentration on the delivery of the new cystic fibrosis unit in St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, it is also important to recognise the real improvements that have taken place in recent years to provide care, in the optimal setting, for people with cystic fibrosis.

Opposition parties have criticised the current proposal regarding the development at St. Vincent's Hospital as being vague. I reject that and will tell the House why. As we enter these more difficult economic times, what matters most to policymakers is having a clear sense of priorities. In the good times people prepared a wide list of all their requirements and naturally lobbied for their delivery. In the difficult times people have to discriminate. They have to decide which services are crucial and then make sure they are delivered. There will be times when beneficial services will have to be denied in favour of other services which are considered vitalto the patient.

The Minister, Deputy Harney has made clear that the delivery of the new block in St. Vincent's enjoys the level of vital priority status. I am confident that any obstacle that might present itself will be overcome by the Minister working with the HSE and St. Vincent's Hospital.

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