Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the new cystic fibrosis unit in St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin 4 will be opened in view of the increased life expectancy of CF sufferers which will come about from the service, if it will have the capacity to deal with the potential increase in the number of CF patients and the increased use of the facilities that will be required. [16699/07]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the findings of the Health Service Executive's cystic fibrosis working group; when each of its recommendations will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16700/07]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has given consideration to immediately approving the upgrade of the specialist Cystic Fibrosis Unit at Cork University Hospital for adult and child CF sufferers and to accelerating the planning for the Galway University Hospital unit; and if there are plans for other regional units. [16701/07]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she or her officials have been in contact with counterparts in the Six Counties to agree an all Ireland approach to the provision of care and treatment for patients with cystic fibrosis; if not will she initiate such contact; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16702/07]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she has taken to address the major risk of cross-infection faced by children with cystic fibrosis attending Dublin's paediatric hospitals, and the need for the existing facilities to be upgraded immediately to address that concern, especially in the event of MRSA in hospitals and the fatal consequences posed to CF patients from such an infection. [16703/07]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the strategies that have been undertaken to ensure that the required staff, with the required medical expertise, is in place to address the medical needs of cystic fibrosis patients both adult and children. [16704/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will release the recommendations of the Health Service Executive Cystic Fibrosis Working Group; and if she will implement them immediately. [17044/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will fund the building of a national adult referral centre for people with cystic fibrosis. [17045/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will approve the upgrade of facilities of the specialist cystic fibrosis centres, adult and paediatric, in a hospital (details supplied) in County Cork. [17046/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will start the planning process for new cystic fibrosis centres, adult and paediatric, in a hospital (details supplied) in County Galway. [17047/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will upgrade the in-patient and outpatient facilities in hospitals (details supplied) to allow effective cystic fibrosis patient isolation that will minimise cross infection. [17048/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will develop the physical and human resources in all the designated specialist cystic fibrosis centres identified by the Health Service Executive Working Group. [17049/07]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she is taking to establish a cystic fibrosis unit in an acute hospital here; the reason one has not been established to date; the timetable for completion of such a project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17505/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the additional posts in cystic fibrosis service delivery, for which an additional €2 million was allocated in Budget 2007, will be filled; when hospitals will be informed that they can start the recruitment process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17575/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the findings of the Health Service Executive Working Group on Cystic Fibrosis, which sat for the last time a year ago, will be released; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17576/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will give a firm commitment for the establishment of the new cystic fibrosis unit at St. Vincent's Hospital; if appropriate interim measures will be put in place for the current patients in St. Vincent's to prevent lengthy waits in accident and emergency units and to allow patients to be treated without fear of cross infection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17577/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 to 238, inclusive, 276 to 281, inclusive, 319, and 336 to 338, inclusive, together.

I acknowledge the need to develop services for persons with cystic fibrosis. I identified this as a key priority in 2006 and again in 2007. Development funding of €4.78 million was provided to the Health Service Executive (HSE) in 2006 to facilitate the recruitment of additional medical, nursing and allied health professional staff to improve services for cystic fibrosis patients. Additional funding of €2 million has been allocated this year to build on the investment provided in 2006.

I also asked the HSE to address in particular the identified deficits at the national adult referral centre at St. Vincent's University Hospital. My Department is advised by the HSE that recent interim improvements at the hospital have resulted in additional capacity for persons with cystic fibrosis. In addition, the HSE has approved the establishment of a Project Team to progress the next phase of the ongoing major capital development at St. Vincent's. A new Unit for persons with cystic fibrosis has been identified by the HSE as one of a number of priority projects to be included in the development.

In 2005, the HSE established a Working Group to undertake a detailed review of cystic fibrosis services. The Group was asked to review the current configuration and delivery of services to persons with cystic fibrosis in Ireland. The Working Group has completed its work and publication of its report is a matter for the Executive.

With regard to cross border co-operation, the HSE has advised my Department that it will review the need and demand for such a service and seek to make the necessary service arrangements where appropriate. My Department will be happy to provide any assistance in this regard if required by the Executive.

Finally, it is a matter for the Executive to manage and deploy its resources to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the additional service issues raised investigated and to reply directly to the relevant Deputies.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she has taken to put in pace a neo-natal screening programme to ensure the potential benefits of such screening is realised. [16705/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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There is already a National Newborn Screening Programme in place for a number of metabolic disorders. It started in 1966 under the auspices of the National Children's Hospital, initially for Phenylketonuria (PKU) and it has been extended to include galactosaemia, homocystinuria, congenital hypothyroidism, maple syrup urine disease and most recently congenital toxoplasmosis. Parents of newborn infants are offered screening by the heelprick test between 72 and 120 hours following birth.