Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 82: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the measures she will bring forward to further assist persons with cystic fibrosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20933/05]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to help cystic fibrosis sufferers to enjoy a better treatment service than currently exists; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are only 3.3 fully dedicated cystic fibrosis consultants in the country running a service that demands at least 29 such consultants; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that cystic fibrosis patients need very clean environments to reduce the risk of infection when hospitalised; the extra services she proposes to deliver in the next 12 months in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21346/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 180: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will allocate the necessary funding to address the immediate, short-term and long-term requirements of cystic fibrosis services here, if the HSE working group confirms the findings of the Pollock report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21348/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 181: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will put forward a special case to allow the permanent recruitment of staff, in spite of the employment ceiling cap, if the HSE working group endorses the findings of the Pollock report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21349/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 182: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will meet with representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21350/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 183: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the safety of cystic fibrosis patients is being compromised due to inadequate staffing and facilities; if this conflicts with her speeches promoting the importance of patient safety issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21351/05]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 184: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will consider public private partnerships as an option to fast-track the provision of internationally acceptable services for cystic fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21352/05]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 185: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action she would take if a hospital were to deny access to a cystic fibrosis patient in hospital care due to overcrowding and the risk of exposure to cross infection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21353/05]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 186: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will receive the recommendations of the HSE working group on the Pollock report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21354/05]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 187: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will give a commitment to provide adequate funding for the resourcing of services to address the needs of cystic fibrosis patients and ensure that the funding is stable and not at risk from other pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21355/05]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 188: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will address the inadequate staffing levels for cystic fibrosis services as identified in the recently commissioned independent report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21356/05]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 189: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if beds for cystic fibrosis patients will be in single rooms to reduce the risk of cross-infection as recommended in the recently commissioned independent report; her plans to ensure that such facilities come on stream without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21357/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to provide additional staffing resources to cystic fibrosis units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21012/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to provide additional cystic fibrosis units nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21013/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to develop adult services for persons with cystic fibrosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21014/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to develop child services for persons with cystic fibrosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21015/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 257: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action she intends to take to ensure that the facilities highlighted in the commissioned independent report, that is, that beds for cystic fibrosis patients should be in single rooms to reduce the risk of cross-infection will come on line without further delay. [21037/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 258: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the current staffing level for cystic fibrosis will be addressed as a matter of urgency. [21038/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 259: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will provide adequate funding for the resourcing of services to address the needs of cystic fibrosis patients. [21039/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 260: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will receive the recommendations from the HSE working group with regard to cystic fibrosis patients requirements. [21040/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 261: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the reaction there would be if a hospital denied access to a cystic fibrosis patient due to overcrowding and the risk of exposure to cross infection. [21041/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 262: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will consider public and private partnerships as an option to fast track the provision of international acceptable services for cystic fibrosis patients. [21042/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 263: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether the safety of cystic fibrosis patients is being compromised due to inadequate staffing and facilities. [21043/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 264: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will meet the representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association; and if so, when. [21044/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 265: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will put forward a special case to allow the permanent recruitment of staff in spite of the employment ceiling cap, if the HSE working group endorses the findings of the Pollock report. [21045/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 266: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the AHSE working group confirms the findings of the Pollock report, if she will allocate the necessary funding to address the immediate short-term and long-term requirements that will address the existing cystic fibrosis services here. [21046/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 268: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she expects to receive the recommendations of the HSE working group on Cystic Fibrosis services here; if, in the event of the working group endorsing the findings of the Pollock report into such services she will allocate the necessary funding to address the immediate short and long-term requirements to address the enormous gaps in current services; if she will lift the employment ceiling cap to allow for the recruitment and appointment of the required permanent staff to address the staffing shortfall; if she will consider public and private partnerships with a view to fast-tracking the provision of internationally accepted services for cystic fibrosis patients; when she will meet representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21051/05]

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 275: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will receive the recommendations from the HSE working group on cystic fibrosis services here; if the resources including finance and staffing required to implement the recommendations of the report will be made available as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21127/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 276: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will meet with representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21138/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 277: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the safety of cystic fibrosis patients is being compromised due to inadequate staffing and facilities in hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21139/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 278: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals in regard to public and private partnerships being used to fast-track the provision of internationally acceptable services for cystic fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21140/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 279: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she expects to receive the recommendations of the HSE working group on cystic fibrosis services here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21141/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 280: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to provide adequate funding to provide the services and address the needs of cystic fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21142/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 281: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to address the seriously inadequate current staffing levels for cystic fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21143/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 284: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will give a commitment to adequately fund urgently needed services required by cystic fibrosis sufferers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21257/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 285: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will give a commitment to the provision of single rooms for cystic fibrosis patients to reduce risk of cross infection; if and when such facilities will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21258/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 286: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she expects to receive recommendations from HSE working group relating to the Pollock report; if and when same will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21259/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 287: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to any hospital which has denied access to a cystic fibrosis sufferer to hospital care due to overcrowding and exposure to infection; her plans to address this issue in early course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21260/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 288: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she is prepared to consider public and private partnerships as an option to fast track provision of services for cystic fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21261/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 289: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether the health of cystic fibrosis sufferers is being compromised due to inadequate staffing and facilities; her proposals to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21262/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 290: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will meet with representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association, in view of the previous requests from representatives to both her and her predecessor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21263/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 291: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in the event of the adoption of the findings of the Pollock report by the HSE she will allow the recruitment of permanent medical staff, notwithstanding the recent embargo. [21264/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will allocate necessary funding to address immediate short and long term requirements for cystic fibrosis sufferers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21265/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 319: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action she will take to ensure that cystic fibrosis patients will be in single rooms to reduce the risk of cross infection. [21298/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 320: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will receive the recommendations from the HSE working group; if she will give a commitment for adequate funding for the resourcing of services to address the needs of cystic fibrosis patients; and if the situation of inadequate staffing levels for cystic fibrosis patients will be addressed as a matter of urgency. [21299/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 321: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which she would react if a hospital were to deny hospital care to a cystic fibrosis patient due to overcrowding and the risk of exposure to cross infection. [21300/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 322: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will meet with representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association; her views on whether the safety of cystic fibrosis patients is being compromised due to inadequate staffing and facilities; and if she will consider public-private partnerships as an option to fact track the provision of internationally acceptable services for cystic fibrosis patients. [21301/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 323: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the HSE working group confirms the Pollack report; if she will allocate the necessary funding to address the immediate short and long-term requirements of cystic fibrosis services here which currently are below basic international standards; if she will put forward a special case that will allow the permanent requirement of staff, in spite of the employment ceiling cap, if the HSE working group endorses the findings of the Pollack report. [21302/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 179 to 189, inclusive, 247 to 250, inclusive, 257 to 266, inclusive, 268, 275 to 281, inclusive, 284 to 292, inclusive, and 319 to 323, inclusive, together.

I have seen the report which the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland commissioned from Dr. Ronnie Pollock. The report confirms that Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis in the world. It reviewed existing hospital services for people with cystic fibrosis in the context of accepted international standards and concluded that the services available for persons with cystic fibrosis in this country are not of the standard that they should be.

The report provides an assessment of need for current and future cystic fibrosis patients. It makes recommendations with regard to the numbers and categories of staff who are appropriate for a modern, multidisciplinary cystic fibrosis service. Following publication of the report, the Health Service Executive, at the request of the Cystic Fibrosis Association, established a working group to review the current configuration and delivery of services to persons with cystic fibrosis in Ireland, both in hospitals and in the community. The working group is also to make recommendations for the reconfiguration, improvement and development of those services.

The working group is multidisciplinary in its composition and includes representation from the Cystic Fibrosis Association. It held its first meeting in early April and I understand that it hopes to complete its work over the next few months. The Pollock report is one of a number of reports relating to cystic fibrosis services being considered by the group. The work of the group will result in an agreed proposal for the development and reconfiguration of services for cystic fibrosis patients in Ireland.

I will be glad to meet with the Cystic Fibrosis Association and the HSE to discuss the development and reconfiguration of services for persons with cystic fibrosis when the working group has finalised its proposals.