Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I assure Deputy Rabbitte and the House that I am not involved in bickering or playing games with the issue of health. I did not suggest that I was unmoved by the prospect of 85 people at risk of dying or that I was unmindful or disinterested in the fact or that the Government was callous. There is not a policy of drift but a very proactive investment programme in place. It has not yet fully developed the services as we would like, but no one has a monopoly on sympathy or virtue with regard to the matter. I have not introduced any bickering or game-playing. Indeed, a political game is being played regarding the suggestion that there is a policy of drift in terms of what this Government does in economic or social terms. An attempt is perhaps being made by the Opposition to suggest that all this money is a waste of time and resources and has no beneficial effect. However, it does. The appointment of 92 consultant posts since 1997 is not a statistic and represents a level of expertise in the health service that was not available heretofore. It is in place to assist the many families, individuals and communities throughout the country who suffer from this disease which causes such anxiety. That is the point I was making. I am not attempting to score points but to defend the Government's record, which is my legitimate right.

With regard to the south-eastern region, the Government is doing all it can to see how we can develop radiotherapy services nationwide. When I was Minister for Health and Children, it was suggested that there would be two radiotherapy centres in Dublin and one in Cork. I reviewed the situation and provided objective criteria to confirm why the location of a radiotherapy service in Galway University Hospital would be justified. It did not depend on economic considerations but the medical throughput required for the provision of such services in that a certain level of population was needed for the service to be provided. That was the thinking at the time and the service was provided by the Government. That radiotherapy service is now in situ in Galway and has recently commenced.

The search for a solution to the problem of the provision of outreach services beyond the satellite services in Dublin, Cork and Galway has taken up the time and effort of those in the Department of Health and Children as well as the former and present Ministers. I am acutely mindful of the problems encountered by those who must travel to Dublin for specialist services. The midland health board region is the only one in the country that does not have renal services. Everybody from my constituency and bordering constituencies has had to travel for such services. I am aware of the issues and progress is being made.

Not all problems have been solved and we will continue to address them. The Tánaiste has my support and that of her Government colleagues in finding solutions to the problem. It has been suggested that a private hospital in Waterford would be able to provide such services and we would be anxious that they be provided to the wider public regardless of their means. That is the purpose of trying to use all resources available to the health service to help people deal with the problems. I have met representative groups from the region, visited Waterford and listened attentively to what they said. I have sympathy for their position, but sympathy does not solve all the problems. Every effort has been made and consideration given in dealing with this issue to the best of our ability on the basis of progress made thus far.

See this speech in context