James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

Today in the House the Minister spoke immortal words: "Today is a day for patients first". This is a most extraordinary statement by any Minister for Health and Children. Has she just woken up to the responsibilities of her portfolio? Has she discovered only today that it is all about patients, including the ill, dying and vulnerable? She had years to work it out but failed to do so and people are dying. A very serious situation has arisen. People have a right to life, as the Minister should recognise. It is a very sad day for Ireland, given what has happened in Portlaoise. I sympathise with the people concerned.

The loss of the breast cancer treatment centre in Tullamore was a huge blow for the midlands. Owing to the poor quality of rural transport services in the midlands, causing undue hardship for vulnerable patients, extremely ill women in counties Longford and Westmeath and elsewhere in the midlands will now be forced to travel to Dublin or Galway with no designated transport services on which to rely. One young cancer patient in my own county of Longford has been waiting over four years to recoup travelling expenses of €1,000. Such expenditure on taxis is beyond the reach of many patients desperately seeking to access hospital services. Once again, the Government has shown total disregard for the midlands. History is repeating itself over and over again. Counties Longford and Westmeath have been waiting over 12 years for the completion of phase 2B of Mullingar Hospital. How many lives must be lost before the Government recognises health care needs in the midlands? How long more will we have to wait for the Government to bring openness and fairness to its dealings with the sick and vulnerable?

In an ever-repeated formula, with a familiarity that almost defies belief, to all intents and purposes, services are being centralised in Dublin. Those not lucky enough to live within the Pale are expected to travel at their own expense to avail of basic medical entitlements. As Deputy Durkan said, the loneliness experienced by many is dreadful. I have met people who had to come to Dublin and stay overnight in bed and breakfast accommodation. It is a dreadful experience for anyone traumatised by a serious illness.

As a former member of the Midland Health Board which covered the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, on many occaions I raised issues in respect of service delivery, yet we are now being told by the Taoiseach that there was no systems failure involved in the misdiagnosis of breast cancer patients at the hospital. This is another Government-induced health risk for people in the midlands, whatever way the Minister wants to spin it. There has been considerable spin by the Government which we have witnessed in every Department, none more so than the Department of Health and Children.

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