Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

It is traditional on these occasions to compliment the movers of the motion and I am very happy to do so for my old friend, Deputy James Reilly. Dr. Reilly and I served together over a long period on the old Eastern Health Board and the regional authority. This was a time when the health board answered questions and did not leave public representatives to hear major announcements through the media. Regrettably, those days have changed.

I tabled a question asking the Minister for Health and Children the policies she has put in place to improve cancer treatment services nationwide, her plans for the future and if she would make a statement on the matter. I received a nice letter from the Ceann Comhairle in which he kindly stated it could not be taken yesterday because the question anticipated private Members' business for the same day, which appears to give me a great deal of credit for something which I did not intend.

Deputies Reilly and O'Sullivan referred to the announcement yesterday, and it is generally welcomed as a good announcement, except that in my community in Tallaght there will be a different point of view. I do not want to just cry about Tallaght but it is the third-largest population centre in the country, with a very significant catchment area. The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, incorporating the National Children's Hospital, serves people from north Kildare down to Carnew in Wicklow. It provides a serious service.

Cancer care in the Tallaght hospital has been a major strategic development over the past five years. Although this area was always an important facet of patient care in Tallaght, the hospital board formalised it as one of the major strategies for the patient population. This development was in recognition not alone of the volume of patients with cancer coming to the hospital but of the unfortunate fact that many patients coming to the hospital were disadvantaged. This led to them presenting at a comparatively later stage of the disease.

It was therefore seen as a major challenge to the hospital to improve survival in this patient population. With this in mind a team of experts has been assembled within the hospital campus whose specialist interest is in cancer care. These individuals have spent significant periods in cancer institutions located in the United States and in Europe, including New York, Washington, Madison, Paris and Milan. They also have experience of many different dedicated cancer services in the nearby UK.

It was also recognised that the major specialties involved in cancer care should be present on-site within the hospital campus. As a result, consultants in all the specialty areas involved in cancer care, including surgical, medical and radiation oncology, as well as palliative care, have been appointed to Tallaght. As such, a cancer patient entering the gates of the Tallaght hospital has the full range of specialty care available on-site. Furthermore, in line with international best practice, the many different cancer types looked after within our hospital have dedicated multi-disciplinary teams. In this manner, each cancer patient diagnosed within the hospital is given the opportunity not only to see individual specialists but to have decisions made in the context of multi-disciplinary team meetings, which has proven to be advantageous to survival.

The hospital in Tallaght has decided to look after all the major cancer types in both men and women and has set up multi-disciplinary meetings for all these types. Outside the hospital, important links have been set up with many different hospitals, including a very strong link with Naas General Hospital, St. James' Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital, Peamount Hospital and many others. It has also set up strong links with groups such as the Irish Cancer Society and the Marie Keating Foundation, and it has funding from the Health Research Board for cancer research.

In 2006, the hospital saw more than 1,500 new cancers, with many more patients suspected of having cancer coming into dedicated clinics. A major thrust over the past three years has been the establishment of a quality assurance programme in cancer care. Computer software has been purchased and seven separate appointments have been put in place to form an audit programme. Therefore, very close attention is paid to quality assurance in the patient population.

A team of dedicated nurses has also been appointed in recent years to oversee the co-ordination of cancer care within the hospital, where attention to quality of life issues is paramount. These nurse co-ordinators are trained in their field and they are a pivotal part of cancer care at the hospital in Tallaght.

In summary, the cancer care at Tallaght hospital provides a comprehensive service for a large number of cancer patients, many of whom come from disadvantaged areas. The hospital serves a rapidly increasing catchment area and provides the vast majority of cancer care for this network. It is anticipated that the National Cancer Registry will report a doubling of the number of cancers within our area in the next 15 years. Tallaght is very well positioned to meet this significant challenge.

I notice many different comments at the beginning of yesterday's debate. This morning I am making a point for Tallaght. The HSE must consider its case, although the report from yesterday has been generally accepted. Tallaght makes a strong case and it is different. The Minister of State should convey to his senior colleague that this debate is only commencing.

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