Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 108: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the recent external review of cystic fibrosis facilities here commissioned by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9071/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 109: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will act upon the recommendations of the recent external review of cystic fibrosis facilities here commissioned by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland, which calls for the immediate implementation of a national cystic fibrosis service to be achieved by establishing nine specialist cystic fibrosis centres that are properly staffed, funded and accredited; her views on whether this would be a suitable road map for improvements in the area. [9072/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 110: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children further to the recent external review of cystic fibrosis facilities here commissioned by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland, if she will discuss with the Health Service Executive the possibility of establishing a Health Service Executive review board to review the report; the persons she envisages being appointed to such a board; and the envisaged timescale for completing a review of the report. [9073/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 109, 110 and 115 together.

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 health services for patients with cystic fibrosis.

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. Dr. Pollock's report was officially launched earlier this year.

The report provides an assessment of need for current and future cystic fibrosis patients and makes several recommendations with regard to the numbers and categories of staff that are appropriate for a modern, multi-disciplinary 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 to maintain their skills level.

Following the publication of the Pollock report the Health Service Executive met with the Cystic Fibrosis Association and agreed to the latter's request to establish a working group to consider the report's recommendations.

The group, which includes representatives from the Cystic Fibrosis Association and the Health Service Executive, as well as relevant clinicians, will review the configuration and delivery of services to cystic fibrosis patients, across hospital and community, and make recommendations for improvement and development of services. The group will hold its first meeting in April.

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 of the centre.