Madam, - We have surely reached a low point as a society when young Irish citizens have to resort to the media to struggle for medical facilities that are the norm in many poorer countries. Orla Tinsley's article (Opinion & Analysis, January 9th) and the subsequent phone calls by other young people with cystic fibrosis to RTÉ's Liveline remind me of courageous Billy Burke's fight for life in 2004. He had cystic fibrosis and was initially denied the opportunity of a lung transplant. Time ran out for him.
Time is also running out for many young Irish people with cystic fibrosis. Last year marked Ireland's highest death toll from the disease in the past 14 years. Despite medical reports highlighting the hospital deficiencies and extensive media coverage, very little has been done to provide isolation wards in our main hospitals to redress the cross-infection hazards which threaten people's lives.
The life expectancy of someone with cystic fibrosis in Ireland is 21 years, far short of other countries such as Canada where they can expect to live to 35 on average. What is wrong with this State that young people should have to fight for their lives in public? Of this, and of the political and administrative neglect which has led to the appalling conditions Orla Tinsley and others described last week, we should be deeply ashamed. - Yours, etc,
JOHN DOLAN, Glasnevin, Dublin 11.