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Hospital Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004

Tuesday, 30 March 2004

Questions (255, 256)

Jerry Cowley

Question:

369 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Health and Children when he intends to meet the Opposition parties and Independent Deputies to discuss the alternative plan to the Hollywood report on the radiotherapy services as put forward by the Opposition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9734/04]

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Jerry Cowley

Question:

386 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Health and Children when he intends to meet the Opposition parties and Independent Deputies to discuss the alternative plan to the Hollywood report on the radiotherapy services as put forward by the opposition, in view of the major cost savings which would result from the implementation of the alternative report compared to the Hollywood report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9828/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 and 386 together.

As the Deputy is aware, I launched the report on the development of radiation oncology services in Ireland in October 2003. The report is a most authoritative analysis of radiation oncology and provides a detailed plan for the future development of radiation oncology services nationally. The Government has accepted the recommendations of the report and the development of these services on the lines recommended in this report is the single most important priority in cancer services in the acute setting. Indeed the report has been the subject of a significant level of endorsement both nationally and internationally.

The Government has agreed that a major programme is now required to rapidly develop clinical radiation oncology treatment services to modern standards and that the first phase of the programme will be the development of a clinical network of large centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway. The development of these centres as a clinical network is of paramount importance and will, in the shortest possible timeframe, begin to address the profound deficit in radiation oncology services that has been identified in the report. The Government's objective is to provide a model of cancer care which ensures that patients with cancer receive the most appropriate and best quality of care regardless of their place of residence.

I understand that I will be meeting the all-party Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children shortly to discuss the Government's proposals for the development of radiation oncology nationally. As the Deputy and the main Opposition spokespersons on health are members of this committee, I consider this to be a valuable platform for discussion on radiotherapy.

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