Garret Kelleher (Fine Gael)

I thank Professor Heenan and Professor Matthews. Prior to becoming a Member of the Oireachtas, I worked for a private healthcare company. There was certainly huge co-operation between clinicians in the North and South. The company I worked for was focused primarily on respiratory care. The North-South co-operation between clinicians and east-west co-operation between clinicians on the island of Ireland and those in the UK was something that was used to everybody's advantage. It is disappointing to hear the level of frustration that is clear in both of the professors' statements about the lack of co-operation and collaboration on policy.

To assist us in trying to push things further in the area of co-operation and collaboration, I will focus on the few success there have been so far. Professor Heenan mentioned the congenital heart disease network and the success of the cancer centre at Altnagelvin. If Professor Heenan could tell us a little bit more about the positive outcomes, that might help break down the barrier of those with responsibility for policy in both jurisdictions thinking they are better off operating on their own rather than co-operating cross-Border.