Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I thank Deputy Allen for allowing me to share his time slot. I am also grateful to the Ceann Comhairle's office for allowing this issue to be raised on the Adjournment. When one considers the statistics, it is clear that Ireland is one of the wealthiest nations in Europe. However, if we cannot provide the type of treatment necessary for children who are critically ill, that wealth is worth nothing to us. Over the years, the leukaemia unit in the Mercy Hospital has done trojan work. As a testament to that work, the hospital has a committee which includes the parents of children who have been treated and cured in that unit. They still work on behalf of the unit and now work on behalf of the 50 families of children who are treated there.

Can the Minister of State imagine their shock when they were informed that the person who oversees the treatment of their children was retiring? His retirement has been known about for almost a year. As a result of changes in the health services system, the Health Service Executive is now demanding that the application process for that post should recommence. In the meantime, no new cases of child leukaemia diagnosed in Cork and the surrounding areas will be treated by the leukaemia unit in the Mercy Hospital. Therefore, new patients will have to travel to Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin. Very sick children may have to travel to Dublin weekly all because the Government refuses to put in place the necessary personnel to ensure that the unit can continue to render the sterling service it has provided for many years.

See this speech in context