Reaction from Orla Tinsley, to Minister Harney's announcement that work with St Vincent's is to proceed

Reaction from Orla Tinsley, to Minister Harney's announcement that work with St Vincent's is to proceed

08 April 2009

I would like to start by saying thank you to Minister Harney for deciding to do this.

I feel mixed emotions of relief and uncertainty.

The Minister's announcement I hope gives fresh hope to all people with CF around the country who are patiently waiting for dedicated CF facilities in their region.  By pressing on with the facilities in St Vincent's it is acknowledging the serious lack of facilities for CF patients in our hospitals that the Department of Health and the HSE I hope will be addressing alongside the work at St Vincent's.

There are still two other issues at hand, like the 6 other interim beds that were promised to be delivered by the end of 2008 at a sight already located at St. Vincent's.

I am also greatly concerned about the Irish transplant list that has only performed one transplant of a Cystic Fibrosis patient in three years, and there are still people waiting and dying on that list.