Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I take this opportunity to welcome the agreement the Tánaiste reached with the health authorities in Belfast. We need to see much more co-operation and integration of health services where that is feasible. I give the Tánaiste every support in that pursuit in the interests of all the people of Ireland.

However, there are serious questions about the Government's proposed roll-out of radiation oncology services, specifically the focus on Dublin, Cork and Galway with possible public access to a private facility in Waterford. In the context of the agreement, what is the position of the Border counties? I listened carefully to her reply. Is the agreement reached with the Minister, Mr. Shaun Woodward, to apply only to County Donegal? When the Government's plan for radiation oncology centres was rolled out last July, it was indicated at that time that the north west was to be the focus of discussions leading to access to facilities in Belfast, and even possible access to facilities in Derry was mooted. The north west, as I understand it, includes counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. Am I to understand from the Tánaiste's reply that counties Sligo and Leitrim are not covered in the agreement she reached last week?

Patients from counties Cavan and Monaghan are supposed to access radiation oncology services in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, yet those two counties which I represent are more distant from Dublin than they are from Belfast. That is true of all of County Monaghan and the greater part of County Cavan. Why was the Belfast option not considered for those for whom the shorter distance would be welcome? Equally important, why is there no intention on the part of the Tánaiste and her Department to provide in situ radiation oncology services for the rest of this jurisdiction north of a line drawn from Dublin to Galway? Provision of services north of this line has been completely excluded from her plans, with the exception of this recently reached agreement in respect of services in Belfast.

Is the Tánaiste not aware that people throughout the rest of this island who are not being catered for again feel very much that they are viewed as being of less worth than citizens in other parts of the State? That is the case especially in the north-east region. The Tánaiste spoke of accessing services for people in County Donegal and the possibility of extending access to such services to the whole of the north west. What about access to such services for people in the north east? In terms of ballpark figures for the roll-out of radiation oncology, is the Tánaiste aware that the population in the north east is growing at an enormous rate, as has been shown time and again, more recently with the break-up of the Meath constituency to provide an additional representative seat in this House? What will the Tánaiste do to help address access to health services for people in those counties who, despite being desperately ill and in need of urgent attention, face long distances to access such services?

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