Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress made by her Department in reviewing the impact of the diabetes shared care pilot scheme in north Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5710/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for diabetic services. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief officer for the executive's eastern regional area to investigate the matter raised and reply directly to the Deputy.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action she proposes to take to rectify a phenomenon described as dangerously inadequate staffing and facilities that are seriously unsatisfactory, in view of the external report launched on 7 February 2005 by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland confirming that Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis in the world. [5711/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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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 the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland 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 the Health Service Executive and St. Vincent's Hospital, which is designated as the national adult cystic fibrosis centre, are pursuing proposals to improve the physical infrastructure to support the highly professional treatment and care services provided there at present.