Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 38: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the findings of the Pollock report on the high incidence of cystic fibrosis here and the low level of services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4242/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I welcome the recent Pollock report commissioned by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland on the treatment of cystic fibrosis in Ireland.

The Health Service Executive, which has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services, recently met with the association and has agreed to its request to establish a working group to consider the recommendations in the report.

The report provides an assessment of need for current and future cystic fibrosis patients and makes a number of recommendations with regard to numbers and types of staff appropriate for a modern, multidisciplinary cystic fibrosis service. The report concludes that in the future it will be essential to base cystic fibrosis care in fewer units of a more significant size in order to sustain viable staffing levels and to ensure that staff have a sufficient workload to enable them to maintain their skills level.

I understand that the Health Service Executive is pursuing with St. Vincent's Hospital, which is designated as the national adult cystic fibrosis centre, proposals for improvement to the physical infrastructure to support the highly professional treatment and care services provided there at present.