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Hospital Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2005

Tuesday, 21 June 2005

Ceisteanna (153, 154, 155, 156)

Liam Twomey

Ceist:

93 Dr. Twomey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress to date on talks between the HSE and health authorities in Northern Ireland regarding the provision of access for patients in the north-west to radiotherapy facilities in Belfast; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20882/05]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

101 Mr. McGinley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the status of the provision of radiotherapy services for the north west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20898/05]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

144 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the Hollywood report; if this is now Government policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20900/05]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

171 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she will announce the two radiotherapy centres for the eastern regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20901/05]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 93, 101, 144 and 171 together.

The Government is committed to making the full range of cancer services available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland. To this end, we will provide considerable investment in radiation oncology facilities in the coming years.

The Government's policy on radiation oncology is based on the report on the development of radiation oncology services in Ireland. It is important to build teams of highly expert clinicians working together to deliver top quality cancer care, including radiotherapy, to cancer patients. The Government is therefore determined to ensure access by cancer patients throughout the country to high quality radiation oncology in line with best international standards.

The immediate developments in Cork and Galway have resulted in the provision of an additional five linear accelerators. Two additional linear accelerators are being provided at the supra-regional centre at Cork University Hospital, CUH. The first of these linear accelerators was fully commissioned in March and the second is expected to be commissioned by the autumn. Two additional consultant radiation oncologists will be appointed at CUH with sessional commitments to the south-eastern and the mid-western areas.

Patients in the north-west are currently being referred for radiation oncology treatment to the recently commissioned radiation oncology department at University College Hospital Galway, UCHG, and also to St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin. A consultant radiation oncologist with significant sessional commitments to the north-western area has recently been appointed to UCHG.

I will be meeting the Minister for Health for Northern Ireland, Mr. Shaun Woodward, MP, shortly and I have asked that North-South co-operation on cancer services be put on the agenda. In addition, further discussions are scheduled to take place later this month between the HSE north-western area and Belfast City Hospital in regard to access to radiation oncology services for patients in the north-west — mainly Donegal. My Department has asked the parliamentary affairs division of the Health Service Executive to advise the Deputies of progress on these discussions. The state of the art facility at Belfast City Hospital is scheduled to open in early 2006. The Government is as committed to delivering safe and effective services for people of the north-west as we are for people in every region.

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