Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I want to return to the central issue of cancer services. They say a week is a long time in politics, but for the eight women in the midlands awaiting the results of a second test, a week can be an eternity. Yesterday, the Taoiseach stated on the record of the House that the matter in Portlaoise was a systems failure. He stated: "I am informed that there was no systems failure involved". If there was no systems failure does the Taoiseach place the blame on human error?

On 19 February 2002, the then Midland Health Board wrote to town commissioner Kathleen O'Brien stating, "You will recall that a board deputation met the Minister for Health and Children on 11 April 2001". That Minister was Deputy Micheál Martin, following on from Deputy Cowen and preceding Deputy Harney. The letter continues that the Minister confirmed "that the centre of excellence for symptomatic breast disease services was to be developed at the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise".

The letter states that a unit was to be developed

at the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise with both surgeons and radiologists located in Portlaoise. All intervention radiology, triple assessment and breast cancer surgery for the board's area would be performed in this unit.

That is the confirmation given by the Minister on 11 April 2001, that in the Midland Health Board area there would be radiologists and surgeons in Portlaoise and all intervention radiology, triple assessment and breast cancer surgery for the area would be carried out in that area.

That was the system approved by the Government. The Taoiseach is receiving a running commentary from the Minister for Health and Children to back him up in presiding over this shambles. That was a system the Government put in place and the Minister confirmed to the women and men of the former Midland Health Board area. Why is it that since April 2001 what the then Minister confirmed on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Government did not take place in Portlaoise hospital? Why has there been no triple assessment? Why do we hear complaints about 15 year old machinery? Why were breast cancer surgery services not carried out as was envisaged? This was the Taoiseach's system, his policy and his failure, and he should tell us why the confirmation given by the Minister for Health and Children was never implemented?

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