Speech by the Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, T.D., at an Evening of Thanksgiving to mark the 20th Anniversary of the Irish Hospice Foundation at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on Monday 11th December 2006 at 6.30 p.m.

I am delighted to be here this evening to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Irish Hospice Foundation. It is a real honour to be invited to such an occasion and to have the opportunity to acknowledge the excellent work carried out by the Irish Hospice Foundation. There is no doubt hospice care can make a real difference to patients and their families at times of great stress, uncertainty and sadness.

The contribution that the Foundation makes is unique. The role of the Foundation is so important because it nurtures and supports the practice of hospice care in Ireland. It promotes an awareness and enables important research and training to be carried out. I always knew that the Foundation was a busy organisation but I was truly impressed to hear about the range of projects and initiatives with which you are involved.

The booklet that you are launching this evening gives an overview of the significant achievements of the IHF since its establishment in 1986. Of course, without the initiative of Dr. Mary Redmond, none of this would have come to pass. When she was starting out, I know that Mary did not anticipate the scale of what she was getting herself into. But it was as a result of her hard work and dedication that the IHF became a key driver in the development of hospice and palliative care in this country.

As well as the standalone work that the Foundation has carried out, I know that you are great collaborators! You have worked with the Department of Health & Children and the HSE on a number of projects, notably the Needs Assessment for Children and the Baseline Study that was launched earlier this year. The Hospice Friendly Hospitals Project and your work with the National Council on Ageing and Older People, are further examples of your desire to make a real difference to patients and their families.

I want to speak about the Baseline Study that was undertaken by the Irish Hospice Foundation, supported by the HSE and Atlantic Philanthropies. As many of you know, the Study tracks services on a regional basis against the recommendations of the Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care.

The Study shows regional variances across the country in the provision of hospice and specialist palliative care. I want to assure you that we are working to address these and will do our utmost to ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, can access appropriate services.

Therefore, I am pleased to say that Palliative Care received a major investment of €13 million in the Budget package last year. This has been followed up with additional investment of €5m in Budget 2007 which will allow important service improvements in specialist in-patient palliative care services, home and community services, paediatric care, and database and service intelligence needs. The HSE will work with the newly established Development Committees to determine priorities and allocations. The Baseline Study has provided the evidence to underpin the investment and could be viewed as a “roadmap” of where we want to go and how we are going to get there.

This will require the involvement of all the stakeholders, including the statutory and voluntary organisations, who each play a vital role in caring for those who are dying or who have a life limiting illness.

The increased profile of Palliative Care is reflected by the fact that it is explicitly mentioned in the new Social Partnership Agreement – Towards 2016. The Government looks forward to working with all of the Social Partners to implement this new Agreement.

As I look around the room this evening, I want to say to each and everyone of you that we are grateful for all who have contibuted to the work of the Irish Hospice Foundation over the past 20 years. The Foundation is a great example of how individual citizens, “active citizens”, can contribute through voluntary effort and support to the well-being of society. I would like to pay tribute to all of the volunteers around the country who play such an active role in the work of the Foundation. Whether it is organising coffee mornings, transporting patients or providing bereavement counselling, your contribution is really appreciated. We must also acknowledge the work of professionals, especially the nurses, who provide the hospice care that is so vital to the work of the Foundation.

Today, we are a more prosperous country, and the State has greater resources than ever before. But the State will never be a substitute for the energy and ideas of an organisation like the Foundation.

I want to wish you well as you move forward. You know better than most how much there is still to do. But I am confident that you will continue to build on your successes, to realise your vision “that no one should have to face death or bereavement without appropriate care and support”.

Congratulations on this 20th Anniversary. I am delighted to be a part of it and to have the opportunity to share in the celebration with you.

Thank you.

ENDS