Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I am taking the Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland commissioned Dr. Ronnie Pollock to review the existing hospital services for people with cystic fibrosis in the context of accepted international standards. The report, which was published in 2005, provided an assessment of need for current and future cystic fibrosis patients and made a number of recommendations with regard to the numbers and categories of staff that are appropriate for a modern, multidisciplinary cystic fibrosis service. The report concluded that cystic fibrosis care should be provided in fewer units of a more significant size so that viable staffing levels can be maintained and to ensure that staff have a sufficient workload to enable them maintain their skills level.

Following publication of the report, the Health Service Executive established a working group to examine cystic fibrosis services. The group is multidisciplinary in its composition. The terms of reference of the working group were to review the current configuration and delivery of services to persons with cystic fibrosis in Ireland and to make recommendations for the reconfiguration, improvement and development of those services.

The Department is advised that the working group is due to report shortly and will be making specific recommendations in regard to a range of service improvements required for persons with cystic fibrosis, in particular the need to increase the level of clinical, nursing and allied health professionals staffing in cystic fibrosis units around the country. In advance of the report, and as an acknowledgement of the need to enhance services for persons with cystic fibrosis, additional revenue funding of €4.8 million has been allocated specifically for the development of services in 2006. It is expected that a significant number of additional medical, nursing and allied health professional posts will be created, and these will greatly improve the delivery of specialist care to cystic fibrosis patients throughout the country.

The Minister wishes to see significant improvement this year in the level of services available to persons with cystic fibrosis arising from this investment. As part of the implementation process, she has asked the HSE to address in particular the identified deficits at the national adult referral centre at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin.