Significant developments are proceeding at the Mater Hospital this year. Additional funding of €4.5 million has been provided to meet the cost in 2003 of developing the new national lung transplant programme. This Government made a specific commitment to support the establishment of such a facility in Ireland. The commitment arose out of concern about the small number of Irish patients who were receiving lung transplants in the United Kingdom. The Mater Hospital was chosen as the surgical site for the programme, given its status as the national centre for heart transplantation, in conjunction with St. Vincent's Hospital, which is the designated national centre for the treatment of adults with cystic fibrosis.