Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing discussion of this important matter for the people of the north-west region, in particular Donegal, which I represent. It is an issue of which members of the public, in particular those who may have a relative who has suffered from cancer and needed radiotherapy services, are only too aware. To have to travel to either Galway or Dublin, as is currently the case, is simply not an acceptable situation for patients coming from Donegal and the north-west region.

In recognition of this issue, a decision was taken by the previous Government to come to an agreement with the Northern Executive to have a radiotherapy unit built at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. This was on the basis that the Irish Government would contribute to and be a partner in the building of that unit, and would put in place a service agreement in order that patients from the Republic would use the service until 2020. Given the Northern Executive signed up to this agreement with the Irish Government, for the Northern Minister, Mr. McGimpsey, to yesterday unilaterally announce he was not proceeding with the building of this radiotherapy unit is unacceptable.

Why did the Minister, Mr. McGimpsey, make no advance contact with the Department of Health and Children in the Republic to inform it of the situation? How can one enter an agreement and a partnership with others to take a particular course of action and then, without consultation, simply reverse that position? I am disappointed the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy James Reilly, has not taken the time to come to the Chamber today to account for this. Has the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, who is present, or the Minister, Deputy Reilly, had contact with the Northern Minister, Mr. McGimpsey, in this regard? Have they had contact with the Northern Ireland First Minister or Deputy First Minister?

It is not acceptable that the Northern Executive would act in this manner and in such bad faith with the Executive here. It is very important the new Ministers are not soft in this regard. They should not accept this or agree to discuss it down the line. A clear message must be given that this type of action will not be tolerated because it will not just be in regard to cancer services, on which there is current co-operation. There is also cross-Border co-operation in regard to, for example, the construction of the A5 Derry to Aughnacloy road, on which there is agreement between the Northern Executive and the Irish Government. If this is how the people of the north west are to be treated in this situation, it bodes ill for cross-Border co-operation in the future.

There has been much recent investment in Letterkenny General Hospital, particularly in regard to symptomatic breast cancer services, with Letterkenny General Hospital acting as a satellite centre for Galway hospital, so patients in the north west can get the same level of service as they would if they presented in Galway itself. We need to expand this to ensure the investment made in symptomatic breast cancer services and other services in Letterkenny General Hospital is maintained and developed in these difficult times, and also that the service is expanded through the provision of a radiotherapy service in the north west.

I ask the new Government, as a matter of urgency, to contact the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and the line Minister, Mr. McGimpsey, MLA, on this issue and immediately put in place a timeline to ensure radiotherapy services are developed in Altnagelvin, that the new unit is built and people from County Donegal and the north west region get acceptable access to the radiotherapy and comprehensive cancer services they require.

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