Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress that has been made on commitments given on the provision of dedicated beds and other care services for people with cystic fibrosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42450/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In 2006 and 2007, additional revenue funding of €6.78 million (€4.78m in 2006, €2m in 2007) was provided to the Health Service Executive (HSE) to develop services for people with cystic fibrosis. The Department is 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 was provided to facilitate the recruitment of a further 37 staff nationally.

The HSE was asked to place a particular focus on the development of services at the National Adult Tertiary Referral Centre at St. Vincent's Hospital. A number of capital projects have recently been completed at the hospital and have helped to improve facilities. These include a new ambulatory care centre, the refurbishment of St. Camillus Ward, and a new Accident and Emergency Department which includes single room accommodation. The refurbishment of accommodation to provide eight single en-suite rooms for patients with cystic fibrosis has also been completed and the beds are now operational. In the longer term, a new ward block is to be built and will include 120 replacement beds in single en-suite accommodation. The new facility will accommodate cystic fibrosis patients and will include appropriate isolation facilities.

Beaumont Hospital operates as a regional centre in providing services to adults with cystic fibrosis. In the 2008 Budget, a special allocation of €2.5m capital funding was provided to enable Beaumont hospital to provide out patient facilities for cystic fibrosis patients. The HSE advise that this facility is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2009. Patients with cystic fibrosis will also benefit from additional single room capacity in the new Medical Admissions Unit at Beaumont Hospital which is due for completion shortly.

Specialist paediatric services for children with cystic fibrosis are provided at the National Tertiary Centre at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin. Temple Street Hospital, which provides additional services in this area, is currently developing a dedicated respiratory unit for the ambulant care of cystic fibrosis and respiratory patients. It will include a new respiratory laboratory, treatment room, consulting rooms and walk in access to clinical nurse specialists. The unit is due to open in early 2009.

Paediatric services for persons with cystic fibrosis are also provided at other centres e.g. Tallaght, and on a regional basis at centres including Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Drogheda. The majority of paediatric cystic fibrosis care is delivered on an ambulatory care basis. I expect that there will be further improvements in services for people with cystic fibrosis in 2009.