CF campaigners deeply upset over lack of progress on €11m hospital unit

News that a long-awaited planning application for an €11 million, cystic fibrosis unit at Beaumont Hospital would be lodged by the end of the month, was announced by Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone on Tuesday.

Ms Noone announced the plans at a meeting she arranged in Leinster House for politicians to meet campaigners for improvements in the care of people with cystic fibrosis.

However, while Senator Noone said the news was “positive progress” and “fantastic news for cystic fibrosis patients and Beaumont Hospital” cystic fibrosis campaigners spoke of their “deep upset” that the project was not already up and running.

Maeve Mullin co-founder of CF Hopesource which raises money for Cystic Fibrosis relief in north Dublin, said the 2016 Programme for Government had “set out a clear commitment to immediately proceed to the design and planning stage for a dedicated CF unit at Beaumont Hospital”. But, she said, two-and-a-half years later the community was “still waiting for this Government to honour its promise”.

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Philip Watt, chief executive of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, said the rooms currently used by people with cystic fibrosis were sometimes required by those waiting for a transplant or for end-of-life care. He said the organisation was committed to raising €1 million towards the cost of the new unit. He added, “We are prepared to do our bit” but “the Government continues to fail to honour its commitment to deliver or even commence an inpatient unit for people with CF attending the hospital”.

Dubliner Alice Ward (23) said, “ As somebody who lives with the reality of cystic fibrosis” she worked hard at her health regime. “It is time the Government stand over its promise to provide additional beds at Beaumont”.

“I honestly feel that if I start to become more sick, my only option will be to seek care outside of Ireland because the State is not able to provide me with the treatment and care that I need.”

However, Senator Noone said, “It is great we are now we are seeing movement on it as it is about to enter the planning process”.

She said, “Of course with any planning application there are no guarantees so I commit to continue working on this matter to ensure that CF patients get the best possible service in Beaumont Hospital as soon as possible”.