I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together.
Hepatic Arterial Infusion (HAI) is a medical procedure that delivers chemotherapy directly to the liver. A number of innovative liver-directed treatments are utilised in Irish hospitals including Radio-Frequency Ablation which uses heat to kill cancer cells and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) which delivers chemotherapy directly to the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity.
The HSE’s National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) provides some funding for a variety of chemotherapy programmes including HIPEC, as agreed during the HSE service planning process. The funding of any new services requiring additional resources takes place via the HSE service planning process.