Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I will declare an interest. My father died of cancer so it is of personal interest to me as much as it is to anybody in this Chamber. Former Deputies, some good friends, have also died of cancer. People outside may think we are a different beast but we are also touched by this serious disease. One in four will get cancer and one in three will die from it.

I have spent some time dealing with the issue of cancer. A number of years ago I and the then Senator Mary Jackman spoke with people in England in various cancer hospitals. We were asked by one specialist not to politicise cancer nor to call for services in every single hospital just because we might represent the area in which one was situated. The specialist urged that we put the patient first and ensure the patient had the best opportunity to survive. That advice has had a deep impact on my work since. I am lucky that my local hospital in Letterkenny has the potential and ability to deliver a good quality cancer service. That service was fought for and has relied very heavily on one factor, namely the delivery of a permanent breast surgeon to link with a bigger centre, avoiding the situation where surgeons work on a small number of cases widely dispersed around the countryside. If I, God forbid, had to go under the knife at any point I would like to think the surgeon dealing with me dealt with cancer surgery day in and day out, week in and week out, so that his eyes were as sharp as his knife.

When I sought facilities for Letterkenny General Hospital a number of years ago I was told by the health board that it needed to link up with a bigger centre first, with the development of its services coming further down the line. Thankfully, many years later, it has moved on significantly. I acknowledge the tremendous role the Donegal Action for Cancer Care group played. Public recognition of and mobilisation towards what was needed were also important and we are now in a position where the job of permanent breast surgeon will soon be advertised. We have a link with Galway Regional Hospital, as a result of which the potential for our patients has improved dramatically. It has taken some time but surgery has been maintained in the interim so I am pleased about the agreement to link up with Galway. Many people suggested we link up with Derry but that was discussed and we have moved on.

BreastCheck is the second of three major aspects of cancer delivery and I am delighted it is still on target for roll-out later this year. As with other Deputies from the west and north west I would have been delighted for our areas to have been part of the first roll-out. We look forward to being pilots for all sorts of schemes but we often seem to be the last to have them delivered.

The third aspect of cancer care is radio-oncology. The fact that there were links with Dublin and Galway meant people received a service and the idea of linking up with Belfast offers a third option. Some 50 spaces have been reserved for patients who want to choose that option. Given the level of new investment in the service, which is one of the best in Europe, if not the world, such cross-Border co-operation is welcome. Co-operation is not specific to cancer, because we interact with our neighbours in respect of NoWDOC initiatives, ENT, dermatology and other areas. It is a matter of critical mass and best patient outcomes, which I hope will continue to be the case.

The number of beds must increase to facilitate new specialties. Letterkenny General Hospital has a new oncology ward. My uncle was one of the first to use it, but it is unfortunate that he has since died. With an increase in specialties, there are other pressures in hospitals and I welcome the fact that more beds are entering the system at Letterkenny.

I do not know why people should have to wait unduly for operations. The statistics for the National Treatment Purchase Fund given to us in September showed that 3,125 people were awaiting surgery in Letterkenny and only 300 had been referred to the fund. A clear message must go to patients, general practitioners and consultants that the fund represents a major investment by the Government and a significant opportunity to reduce waiting lists. It might not be in the interests of private practice, but it is in the interests of patients, which is what a health service is supposed to be about. It is in everyone's interest to keep people as healthy as possible. The Government is moving in the proper direction. While more remains to be done, I am clear on the need for the people to have a good health service with patients at its core.

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