Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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788. To ask the Minister for Health if there is any reason legal or otherwise why a specific number of beds in the new respiratory unit at Cork University Hospital cannot be ring-fenced for cystic fibrosis patients in line with understandings to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55541/13]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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789. To ask the Minister for Health if he plans to intervene in the row between a charity (details supplied) that is funding the cost of the new respiratory unit and Cork University Hospital to ensure that the unit goes ahead; if he will give a commitment that his Department will foot the bill for the unit if a resolution cannot be found between the two parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55542/13]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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811. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question of 19 September 2013, if he will provide a detailed up-to-date progress report on the new cystic fibrosis unit at Cork University Hospital; if he will honour the commitment given to build for life that eight beds will be ring-fenced for adults with cystic fibrosis out of the 20-bed respiratory unit in CUH, along with a dedicated cystic fibrosis team; if he will take into consideration the fact that build for life have fund-raised €2.3 million for this unit; if he will accept that it is an absolute outrage if the funds raised by this voluntary group are not invested in the specific project that they were intended for from the outset; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1033/14]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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827. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive and management of Cork University Hospital did not keep a commitment to allocate eight designated cystic fibrosis beds in a 20-bed ward which is being fully funded by a Kerry charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1097/14]

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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845. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made to date in the provision of enhanced hospital facilities and other essential services for patients with cystic fibrosis in Cork University Hospital; the progress made to date in developing an adult cystic fibrosis unit and enhanced paediatric cystic fibrosis facilities on site; and when it is expected that work will commence on same. [1238/14]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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848. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made on providing ring-fenced beds for adult cystic fibrosis patients in Cork University Hospital; his plans for the development of facilities for all cystic fibrosis patients in the Cork and south west region over the period 2014 to 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1244/14]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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855. To ask the Minister for Health the position concerning a matter at Cork University Hospital (details supplied); the current status of the project; if he will intervene to resolve the current dispute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1305/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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862. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the ring-fencing of isolated beds in Cork University Hospital for cystic fibrosis patients; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Build4Life raised money for cystic fibrosis beds and now management wish the charity to hand over the money with no guarantee of cystic fibrosis beds; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that cystic fibrosis patients are at constant risk of cross-infection due to exposure to the general hospital environment; and his plans to address this situation as a matter of urgency. [1317/14]

Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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865. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update with a timeline on plans to ringfence beds at Cork University Hospital for children with cystic fibrosis, for the provision of specialist day clinics and in patient beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1329/14]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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889. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that funding raised by an independent charity is to be used to refurbish 20 isolation beds at Cork University Hospital and that there is an agreement in place (details supplied) that eight of these beds are to be ring-fenced for cystic fibrosis patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1572/14]

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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904. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the eight beds promised for cystic fibrosis patients by Cork University hospital will be ring-fenced immediately, as he may be aware the charity build4life has raised €2.3 million which will fund 20 beds eight of which are to be specifically for cystic fibrosis patients; it is now alleged that the hospital want the charity to hand over the money with no guarantee of cystic fibrosis beds, if he will investigate the matter further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1713/14]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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912. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the developing crisis regarding cystic fibrosis beds in Cork University Hospital; and the position regarding the supposed ring-fencing of agreed beds for cystic fibrosis patients in the context of substantial fund-raising by the Build4life voluntary charity. [1808/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 788, 789, 811, 827, 845, 848, 855, 862, 865, 889, 904 and 912 together.

At the outset, I want to commend Build4Life on its achievement in raising €2.3m to fund this unit in Cork University Hospital. The situation that has now arisen in relation to this development is regrettable. I understand that the HSE and Build4Life are now in a process which I hope will bring about a resolution shortly.

I understand that the proposed Unit will have 20 beds, 10 of which will be designated for patients with CF, eight within the unit with two additional isolation beds provided in the Renal Unit. I have been assured that patients with CF will have priority access to these ten beds at all times. The ring fencing of beds for CF patients has been an issue in other hospitals around the country but has been resolved through written agreements and good operational procedures. I am confident that a similar agreement can be reached in this instance.

The key issue is that patients with CF are assured that sufficient beds will be available when they are needed, but at the same time, when beds are not needed for CF patients, they can be freed up for other very ill patients with respiratory and other conditions. I note that Cystic Fibrosis Ireland has expressed its confidence that, following discussions, an agreement can be drawn up that will allow building to commence.