A decision by Dublin City Council to grant full planning permission to a new inpatient unit for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital has been welcomed, however concerns about how the unit will be funded remains.

According to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI), it has still not been given a start or completion date for the new unit and questions over funding remain, due to the overrun in the cost of the new national children's hospital.

A new CF unit for Beaumont Hospital was promised as part of the Programme for Government almost three years ago, and these continued delays have led to great anxiety among people with CF, the organisation said.

"We welcome the fact that there is now planning permission in place and detailed plans are available for the long promised 20-room CF inpatient unit at Beaumont Hospital. We would now fully expect a swift Government statement that funding has been allocated to build this unit, along with a clear commencement and completion date," commented CFI chief executive, Philip Watt.

He said that anything less than this would be unacceptable to the 160 CF patients attending the hospital.

"Cystic Fibrosis Ireland has committed to raise €1 million towards the cost of this €12 million unit, working closely with North Dublin charity, CF Hopesource. Any additional delays will only result in a further escalation of cost," Mr Watt warned.

The proposed three-storey unit will serve people from north Dublin, as well as north Leinster and Ulster. Many adults with CF need intensive inpatient treatment two or three times a year, and sometimes more.

Furthermore, as CF patients age, their condition becomes more complex. For example, 30% of 30-year-olds will have CF-related diabetes, while overall rates of anxiety and depression are double that of the general population.

There are currently just seven inpatient beds in Beaumont for CF patients, which are ‘overused and not fit for purpose', Mr Watt said. This lack of adequate rooms can lead to delays in care.

"Against the backdrop of a growing CF population with increasingly complex needs, the necessity for a state-of-the-art CF inpatient unit at Beaumont Hospital that meets the requirements of patients has never been more acute," he added.

CF is Ireland's most common life-threatening inherited disease. There are almost 1,400 people in Ireland affected and this country has the highest prevalence and some of the most severe types of CF in the world.

The condition affects the regulation of absorption and secretion of salt and water in various parts of the body including the lungs, sweat glands and pancreas. This defect inhibits the flow of salt and water through the body's cells, causing a build-up of thick, sticky mucus, which can clog airways and harbour harmful bacteria.

Symptoms can vary in severity. The most common symptom is recurrent chest infections, which results in lung damage.

For more information on CFI, click here