Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)

I support my party's Private Members' motion, sponsored by Deputy Reilly, which condemns the delays in the delivery of radiotherapy facilities and calls on the Government to deliver services for cancer patients as a matter of urgency. As previous speakers mentioned, over 7,000 people die from cancer and approximately 22,000 new cases of cancer are registered each year. Cancer patients do not have time. Time is of the essence in the detection and treatment of cancer in so far as it affects the quality of life, suffering or survival of patients. The failure of Fianna Fáil to deliver reliable cancer services means that hundreds of women face the trauma of having their cases reassessed. It is crucial in the case of the Barringtons Hospital debacle in Limerick, for example, that all investigations are conducted swiftly in order that meaningful action can be taken to provide reliable services that people can trust.

Fianna Fáil continues to fail the people by not recognising the urgent need to develop integrated cancer screening and treatment programmes. It is imperative for the Government to take real action before more lives are lost to cancer. The lack of a world class health service, as promised many times by Fianna Fáil, was the biggest issue during the recent general election campaign. The Minister for Health and Children needs to make the difficult decision to tackle the bloated bureaucracy in the health service, rather than continuing to make sweeping cutbacks at the frontline of the health sector. The decisions made since Fianna Fáil's return to power have led to a deterioration in the health service.

Yesterday's announcement of the establishment of a national cancer control programme was undermined by the lack of an accompanying implementation plan, clear deadlines or costings. It is disappointing that there will be a reduction in the number of hospitals which provide cancer treatment, from the current 13 to eight. As an immediate priority, the Minister should ensure the radiotherapy plan she promised in 2005 is delivered, as promised, immediately, not in 2015, which would be a disaster. The Minister's priority should be to save lives. She should consult the HSE without delay and deliver treatment services for cancer patients as quickly and efficiently as possible.

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