Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The Minister of States' speeches were too slow and too little. The grand plan for radiotherapy services and cancer treatment services across the country will need at least another three years before anything happens. We have already been waiting for them for two years. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, focused on oncology, saying that investment in the national cancer strategy has amounted to €559 million since 1997. That works out at €70 million per year, less than 1% of the health budget, but the Government boasts about such a small amount of money. It might look like a lot when it is added up but we know from dealing with cancer patients there is a pathetic service that needs much greater investment before we see any improvements. The radiotherapy report is sitting in the Department of Health and Children gathering dust. The Government comes in here and talks about what will happen and what will be done but we will see another Government implement it at this rate.

Pressure on the hospital system, particularly in the eastern region, arises from demands on emergency departments and difficulties associated with patients who no longer require acute treatment but who are still dependent. My consultant used to say that to me when I was working in the Meath and Adelaide Hospitals in 1993. Why did the Government not deal with this issue? It has been in Government for seven years, with major health budgets. It knows the problem in accident and emergency departments is a result of the running down of primary care. As a result more people use the accident and emergency service because they cannot get a GP leading to long stay patients taking up beds. Nothing has been done to correct that.

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