Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I got five seconds into it anyway. We have spent large resources successfully to ensure that more than 40,000 inpatients with cancer are treated and there are 55,000 more day cases. We have created more than 110 consultant posts in the cancer area and more than 300 new cancer specialist posts. We are building cancer services through the cancer control strategy, which has been welcomed by everybody involved. We have extended BreastCheck. We are investing in new cancer treatment. We have guaranteed capital funding, including more than €400 million for the new radiotherapy network. The HSE will implement this as quickly as possible. I do not accept some of the recent claims that it could not be done by 2011. We have seen what a private operation in Waterford could do in two years. The resources have been provided. It is carrying out the task and putting far more people through the system. It is the same with cardiac procedures. We have effectively eliminated cardiac lists. We used only to have cardiac surgery in Crumlin for children.

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