I listened with much interest to Deputy Ó Caoláin's contribution regarding cancer services in the north west. His comments were slightly tinged with hypocrisy given that former Northern Ireland Executive Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Bairbre de Brún, MEP, decided to divert health services in the Six Counties to Belfast. I do not think she was wearing her all-island hat on the day she made that decision. Thankfully, the Government is addressing that issue.

I pay tribute to the two cancer lobby groups in County Donegal. Only one group formerly existed but a split since occurred. I do not know if political personnel were responsible for the split but others may tell the full story and County Donegal now has two good lobby groups.

Following consultation with Government Deputies, the Minister is working with her counterpart in Northern Ireland to ensure that the north west, that is the area west of the River Bann and County Donegal, receives the radiotherapy therapy service it deserves. The Minister and her counterpart in Northern Ireland are making progress in that regard and I look forward to a good outcome.

The new Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, of which I am a member, met yesterday. Members on all sides adopted a proactive approach to the committee's work. We do not want to be a "yes" type committee or meet groups of all persuasions for the sake of holding meetings. We intend to make a real input into the provision of health care in this country and help achieve the world class service which the Minister is striving to put in place. I have every confidence that she will be successful.

In recent days, Portlaoise hospital has been the subject of extensive debate in this House. The Chairman of the Oireachtas committee, Deputy Moloney, made me aware of several facts in that regard which I wish to share with Deputies. In 1996, the then Minister for Health, Deputy Noonan, introduced a plan similar to the current proposals for centres of excellence. He intended to move services from Portlaoise to Tullamore hospital, for which he had the backing of Deputy Moloney but was opposed by his party. After political persuasion by his rainbow coalition colleagues, he changed his decision. Deputy Moloney nearly lost his seat as a result but his stance has since been proven correct because when this Government came to power in 1997 it took responsibility for dealing with that fiasco and has been working on it since then.

A number of references have been made to the hospital equipment used by the consultant radiologist. That equipment was quality checked in May. I am sure any faults of which people are aware will be set out in Dr. Ann Doherty's report when it is published at the end of this month.

I look forward to Professor Keane taking up his new job of rolling out the cancer centres of excellence. The fiasco in Portlaoise highlights the need for such centres. It is somewhat hypocritical that Deputies opposite call for better quality services when they will not take the crunch when it comes to providing cancer services in hospitals. They all want the services to be delivered in their own backyards, which is not logical. It is mere political opportunism to run around the country calling on party colleagues to organise rallies and it does not help to put in place any of the Minister's proposals.

I look forward to the establishment of the new centres of excellence and I am particularly pleased that the Minister has included Letterkenny General Hospital as an outreach facility because we face significant geographical problems in County Donegal. The Minister has recognised that we are much further from Galway and Dublin than the people of counties Sligo and Mayo. Even though services are now being provided in Letterkenny, people in parts of the county are probably further from Letterkenny hospital than the remotest parts of counties Mayo and Sligo are from Galway.

We should all get real about this issue and have the common sense to stop using it as a political football. Let us treat these proposals with the respect they deserve. I look forward to the establishment of the new centres of excellence, Professor Keane taking up his new role and ensuring this fiasco is not repeated.

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