Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am delighted to make a brief contribution to this debate. I compliment my colleague, Deputy James Reilly, who has been passionate in highlighting this issue; he has certainly put it on the agenda. People were very disappointed again last week when they thought that work on this unit would not go ahead. Some 40 people suffer from cystic fibrosis in County Mayo. The families concerned find it difficult to source services in rural areas. I attended a public meeting on this issue last year at which I heard how the people with cystic fibrosis and their families are affected by the disease and how the sufferers cannot afford to contract an infection. Commitments were given by the Government to provide for them. The Minister, Deputy Harney, gave such a commitment again this week. I am glad Deputy Reilly continued the debate on this issue today because it is our duty and job to make sure that this proposed unit and the necessary services and facilities are put in place. If we do not make money available to provide for such people, then we have no society. Having regard to the recommendations in the report on this issue, these people have been waiting for these services for many years. It would be wrong to disappoint the most vulnerable people, those who are sick and who need the services most.

A great deal of money is being wasted by the Government on myriad schemes. The money that is being wasted on e-voting machines could be allocated to fund services for these people. Other wastage has been highlighted on a regular basis. The Committee of Public Accounts examines matters in Departments on a weekly basis. It is wrong that people should have to beg for the provision of services and have to give interviews on radio stations to seek vital national services. It is wrong that people are worried about their health and are afraid they will not get the service they need when they need it most.

The Minister for Health and Children talks a good game and she has done so for a long time. It is important to ensure that services are up and running as soon as possible. I thought that the building of the proposed unit would be almost complete and close to being in operation now, but instead we hear that we have to wait for people to be appointed. That is not right and is not good enough. It is not fair to the 40 sufferers in County Mayo who I represent or to sufferers nationally who are depending on these services. Cystic fibrosis is a cross in itself that has to be carried by the sufferers; they should not have to worry about getting the services they badly need.

I hope the Minister for Health and Children will make this political promise a priority and ensure it is delivered on. If not, my colleague, Deputy James Reilly, will table a further motion before the end of this year. If we do not see progress on such provision from the Department of Health and Children and from the Minister, we will keep highlighting this issue. My colleagues and I will put pressure on the Government to deliver. People should not have to be depending on Ministers for this; the necessary services, on which people rely, should be in place. It is wrong that this issue is the subject of another motion in the Dáil. It is wrong that people had to highlight this issue again on the radio this week. They thought that it had been dealt with, but that was not the case. I hope we do not have to table another motion in the Dáil on this matter and that what has been promised and committed will be delivered on.

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