Vol. 525 No. 1
145 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Health and Children when the mammography unit will be operational at Cavan General Hospital; and if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of the people of Cavan and Monaghan and the Cavan general catchment area over the delay in setting up this service. [23805/00]
I wish to inform the Deputy that provision of services at Cavan General Hospital is the statutory responsibility of the North Eastern Health Board in the first instance.
The Deputy will be aware that there was a review of the services for symptomatic breast disease carried out by a sub group of the national cancer forum and I have received its report. I have considered this report, and while having taken no final decisions on its implementation, I accept the broad thrust of its recommendations. However, I feel that some further refinements are needed in relation to implementation arrangements at local level. In this regard, I have recently announced the establishment of an advisory group, chaired by Professor Niall O'Higgins, St. Vincent's Hospital, to assist and liaise with health boards in formulating their plans for the development of specialist breast cancer services. I am confident that the development of symptomatic breast disease services which will result will greatly enhance the quality of the services currently available to the women of the north east area.
