Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in the provision of suitable accommodation for patients with cystic fibrosis who need to be hospitalised; the number of extra beds that will be made available in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22172/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I identified the need to improve services for persons with cystic fibrosis as a priority in the Estimates process over recent years. Since 2006, additional revenue funding of €6.78m has been allocated to the HSE to develop services for patients with cystic fibrosis.

The HSE has advised that 44 additional staff dealing with cystic fibrosis have been appointed to date across a number of hospitals, including St Vincent's, Beaumont, Temple Street, Crumlin, Tallaght, Cork University Hospital, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The necessary funding is available to facilitate the recruitment of a further 37 staff nationally.

I asked the HSE to place a particular focus on the development of services at St. Vincent's Hospital, the National Adult Tertiary Centre for the treatment of persons with cystic fibrosis, where concerns had been raised regarding the need to improve facilities. A number of capital projects have been completed at the hospital and further developments are in progress.

In the longer term, a new ward block is to be built at St. Vincent's which will include 120 replacement beds in single en-suite accommodation. The new facility will accommodate cystic fibrosis patients and will include appropriate isolation facilities. The HSE advises that planning permission has been obtained, financial provision has been included in the HSE Capital Plan and the contract is to be awarded in 2008. It will be a condition of the contract that the design build period be no more than 24 months from the date of contract award.

In the interim, work is under way on the refurbishment of accommodation to provide eight single en-suite rooms for patients with cystic fibrosis. The HSE expects that these beds will be operational from the end of July. On completion of this first phase, work will commence to further increase the number of single rooms for patients with cystic fibrosis.

Beaumont Hospital operates as a regional centre in providing services to adults with cystic fibrosis. In the 2008 Budget, €2.5m capital funding was provided to enable Beaumont Hospital to provide out patient facilities for cystic fibrosis patients. Following discussions between hospital management, consultant respiratory physicians and cystic fibrosis patient representative organisations a decision has been taken regarding the site for a purpose built out-patient facility for patients with cystic fibrosis. A detailed proposal in relation to the development is being prepared for submission to the National Hospitals Office for approval. My Department understands that patients with cystic fibrosis will also benefit from additional single room capacity in the new medical admissions unit at the hospital which is due to open in December.

The Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive has been asked by my Department to revert to the Deputy on the operational issue raised.