Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2013
712. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the planned new radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin Hospital, which will serve patients from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. [4336/13]
View answerThe Government is committed to ensuring a high-quality radiotherapy service for the entire population of Ireland, including close collaboration with Northern Ireland, for services in the North West. I have committed once-off capital funding of around one third of the cost (up to a ceiling of €19 million) for the development of new radiotherapy facilities (3 linear accelerators) at Altnagelvin. The Service will be managed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and commissioned by the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland and the Department of Health in the Republic of Ireland. It will provide more locally accessible and timely services and improve patient travelling times for patients in the North Western area. The project is at Outline Business Case 2 stage and services are expected to commence at the centre in 2016.
