Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 4

Written Answers - Cancer Treatment Services.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

432 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 1164 of 9 October 2002, if the South-Eastern Health Board will issue a reply; the reason some parliamentary questions are not being answered by the board; if normal correspondence is being dealt with in the same way; if this displays the need to establish a protocol for dealing with correspondence from Members of the Oireachtas in a more efficient manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7840/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Information in relation to this matter was provided to the Deputy on 9 October 2002. Regrettably, due to an administrative oversight on the Department's behalf, the chief executive officer of the board concerned was not at that time asked to look into the detailed matters raised by the Deputy. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has now requested the chief executive officer of the South-Eastern Health Board to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested as a matter of urgency.

As the Deputy is aware, additional revenue funding of €2.76 million was allocated to the South-Eastern Health Board from national cancer strategy funding in 2003. This funding will ensure that the board continues to address service pressures in such areas as oncology-haematology services and symptomatic breast disease services.