Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

The Minister, Deputy Harney, described the very significant improvements made in developing the services for people with cystic fibrosis. The Government made cystic fibrosis a top priority in 2006. She detailed the particular developments which have been, and continue to be, put in place in the national adult referral centre at St. Vincent's Hospital. I am glad to have the opportunity to join the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland in commending the Minister, Deputy Harney, on her resourcefulness in acting on this promptly and steering the project through in order that it will be operational as early as possible in 2011. I would now like to outline some of the additional improvements that have been made, other than at the adult centre in St. Vincent's Hospital. This investment allows patients, both adults and children, to access services closer to home with a formal shared care link with a specialist centre. Beaumont Hospital has a regional centre to provide services to adults with cystic fibrosis. In 2008 a special allocation of €2.5 million capital funding was provided to enable the hospital to develop facilities for ambulatory care for people with cystic fibrosis. The project has gone to tender and patients will also benefit from additional single room capacity in the new medical admissions unit which is due for completion in the middle of 2009. The hospital has received additional revenue investment of nearly €700,000 since 2006 for the development of cystic fibrosis services.

In the HSE region south, Cork University Hospital provides adult services to approximately 110 adult patients and paediatric services to 80 children. The HSE has agreed in principle that new facilities for adult patients with cystic fibrosis will be developed in the Cork University Hospital main campus. In the interim, plans are being advanced to provide for a day-care facility which will provide dedicated day-care space until the site development plan is fully developed. Additional revenue funding of over €1.1 million has been provided at Cork University Hospital since 2006 for the development of cystic fibrosis services.

In the west, University College Hospital, Galway, has received additional revenue funding of over €100,000 to develop services. A plan to provide interim facilities for people with cystic fibrosis in a modular building is also being progressed there with support from voluntary agencies.

In the south east, Waterford Regional Hospital treats 33 paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis. Approximately 80 young adults within the south-east catchment area attend either St. Vincent's University Hospital or Cork University Hospital. Waterford Regional Hospital has received additional funding of over €200,000 since 2006.

In the mid-west, services are provided by a multidisciplinary team at Limerick. Services have been enhanced by the additional funding of over €700,000 which has enabled the recruitment of additional specialist staff. Two consultant posts, for a consultant paediatrician with a special interest in respiratory medicine and a consultant respiratory and general physician with a special interest in cystic fibrosis, have been approved and the posts were advertised with the Public Appointments Service. It is anticipated that those interviews will take place shortly and that the successful candidates will be in their posts by the middle of this year.

In the north east, services are provided at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and an outreach paediatric clinic was also set up in Louth County Hospital in 2006.

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland has made representations to the HSE in respect of people with cystic fibrosis living in Donegal for whom attendance at the cystic fibrosis centre in Belfast might be more convenient. The HSE is pursuing this through CAIT, the coordinating body for North-South cooperation and this is a very welcome initiative.

Significant developments and improvements have been made at the hospitals in Crumlin, Tallaght and Temple Street. The significant investment of €1 million in 2006 in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin enabled the appointment of additional staff. The hospital approached the HSE last year with a proposal to develop a four-bed isolation facility for children. The hospital indicated that there was an opportunity to avail of charitable support which could be pursued. I am pleased that the project is being advanced.

Paediatric services are also provided at the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght and there are two respiratory physicians there with an interest in cystic fibrosis. Since 2006 there has been additional investment of almost €700,000 in the hospital at Tallaght. The hospital also runs an active research programme in cystic fibrosis infection including national surveillance of infection control bacteria.

Temple Street Hospital is developing a dedicated respiratory unit with a self-contained floor for the ambulant care of cystic fibrosis and respiratory patients. It is to include a new respiratory laboratory, treatment room, consulting rooms and walk-in access to the clinical nurse specialists and is due to open later this year. Additional investment of over €500,000 has been provided to the hospital since 2006.

It is clear from the investment I have described that huge progress has been made at centres across the country since the Government prioritised in 2006 the development of cystic fibrosis treatment nationally. The additional improvements which are planned will serve to further enhance the level and quality of services available to patients.

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