Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The Minister complimented the staff on the decision and their co-operation with the HSE. It was in the best interest of patients because we no longer had a surgeon who was competent in the area and I do not think the women of County Roscommon would want procedures carried out if they felt those responsible were not competent. In response to the BreastCheck situation, the mobile unit put in place by the Minister since the end of last April has screened 1,300 women from County Roscommon. I have been told the unit will remain until the end of January, at which time everybody in the relevant category will have been screened.

It remains vital to provide 24-hour accident and emergency services in the area. That became even more apparent several nights ago, when a serious car crash occurred outside Roscommon town. Lives were saved as a result of what happened there. We should remember the part that geography plays and I hope the HSE will remember it is not easy to travel 80 miles across a rural area at night. It may take an ambulance 20 minutes to cross a city but it is a different story if one is travelling from Arigna mountains or Roosky.

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