John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I apologise for the absence of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

The Government is acutely aware of the tremendous challenges the 1,174 people living with cystic fibrosis face every day. The Minister for Health and Children has prioritised the development of services for people suffering with cystic fibrosis and, since 2006, funding of €6.78 million has been provided for the HSE to develop services. It is particularly important to develop efficient and equitable cystic fibrosis services, as evidence shows that not only are people with cystic fibrosis living longer, but the number of children born with cystic fibrosis is also increasing. It is vital, therefore, that these services are enhanced to cope with the anticipated increase in demand.

To date, the HSE has primarily focused on increasing staffing levels in treatment units across the country and developing and modernising hospital facilities to ensure patients requiring admission can be treated in the best environment possible. The approach in developing services for persons with cystic fibrosis has been informed by two significant reports. The first, the Pollock report, was commissioned by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland and involved a review of existing hospital services for cystic fibrosis in the context of accepted international standards. This report identified the need to develop services and improve the physical infrastructure in hospitals which treat cystic fibrosis patients.

A multidisciplinary working group, established by the HSE in 2005, undertook a detailed review of cystic fibrosis services. The group identified a range of necessary service improvements, including the need to increase the levels of consultant, nursing and allied professional staffing in cystic fibrosis units nationally. The group's report will be made available shortly by the HSE.

Since 2006, many programmes and developments have been initiated and many are completed or near completion. In Cork the situation is improving significantly for the 110 adult and 80 paediatric patients for whom Cork University Hospital cares. Two new medical consultants, additional nursing staff, allied health professional staff and support staff have been recruited, ensuring patients can receive prompt and appropriate care. Plans are also being developed to provide a cystic fibrosis day care facility in the hospital. This is being advanced in conjunction with the Build4life Association, the adult cystic fibrosis multidisciplinary team and the executive management board of Cork University Hospital.

At St. Vincent's Hospital, the national adult tertiary referral centre, several capital projects have been completed. The enhanced facilities provided include a new ambulatory care centre and a new emergency department which includes single-room accommodation. The refurbishment of accommodation to provide eight single en-suite rooms for patients with cystic fibrosis has also been completed and the beds are now operational. The next phase in the development of St. Vincent's Hospital's facilities will involve the building of a new ward block to replace existing accommodation. The new ward block will provide single room en-suite accommodation, 100 rooms, with a dedicated day unit for people with cystic fibrosis, including single day treatment rooms with en-suite sanitary facilities. It is hoped the development will become operational as early as possible in 2011.

Another initiative which will contribute to the improvement of care for people with cystic fibrosis is the creation of data registries which gather information from individual patients and provide a pool of accurate data that can be used for research purposes. An independent registry for cystic fibrosis, funded by the State, has been established. This will help to make international comparisons over time regarding the incidence of cystic fibrosis treatment and outcomes for patients. An epidemiological survival analysis has recently been completed by the registry. The final report is expected to be published shortly. Among the many elements of the report is the welcome finding that the average life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis has increased significantly in recent years. Progress is also being made by the HSE on the introduction of a national screening programme for newborns. A steering group has been established to oversee its implementation and to ensure co-ordination with the development of other relevant services. I look forward to the early introduction of this important service. Overall, this package of measures demonstrates the Government's strong commitment to improving the level of services available to people with cystic fibrosis, not alone in Cork but throughout the country.

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