Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

However, it failed to clarify which part of the NDP it planned to curtail. In other words, a bed-only policy means that it planned to curtail the onward march of medicine in other fields.

Is value for money as important in this area, where people are already diagnosed and awaiting operations so they can be pain free and resume a quality life with their families? I would support such a situation in the north west where we are still asking cancer patients to travel to Belfast, Dublin and Galway for radiation treatment at a time when they are most vulnerable. They spend weeks away from their families.

This was brought home to me last Friday night at the midsummer ball in Letterkenny where one of the auction prizes was two years' commercial advertising on the back of the specially commissioned oncology bus which travels several times a week to Dublin hospitals. It was described as a golden opportunity to promote a business. The space was sold for €6,000. That is why I am prepared to support co-location. If we can find a reasonable solution to the question of beds, while continuing to debate value for money, by all means let us do so. Let us, however, put the patient first as that is the priority.

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