Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all the words after "Dáil Eireann" and substitute the following:

expresses its sympathy and regret to the women who were patients at the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise and their families, who were affected by errors of misdiagnosis and miscommunication;

deeply regrets, most particularly, that a review of diagnoses became necessary;

expresses its confidence in the efficiency and high quality of the work carried out in the review of mammograms and at the special clinic at Portlaoise by leading clinicians, supported by specialist nurses and other health service staff;

approves the actions of the Minister for Health and Children in ensuring that the special clinic was put in place immediately last weekend;

acknowledges the leadership shown by the Minister for Health and Children in setting a clear direction in the National Strategy for Cancer Control for the development of quality assured cancer control services as the best way of ensuring that the risk of such events is minimised in the future; and

supports the Minister for Health and Children in her commitment to ensuring equitable access to high quality cancer services for patients throughout the country;

in particular, Dáil Éireann acknowledges:

the Minister's approval of National Quality Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services under the Health Act 2007 to ensure that every woman in Ireland who develops breast cancer has an equal opportunity to be managed in a centre which is capable of delivering the best possible outcome;

the significant progress made to date by the HSE in reorganising breast cancer services in order to comply with the National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease, including the recent decision by the HSE to cease breast cancer services at a number of hospitals with very low case volumes;

the plans over the next two years to provide breast cancer services in line with the development of quality assured capacity in the eight designated cancer centres;

that cancer survival is improving in Ireland for all of the major cancers and that relative survival for breast cancer improved from 72.9% (for people diagnosed between 1994-1997) to 78.2% (for people diagnosed between 1998 to 2001) in line with improvements that have been seen in other developed countries;

the establishment by the Minister of a National Cancer Screening Service Board and the commencement last month of the BreastCheck screening process in the south and west;

the appointment by the HSE last week of Prof. Tom Keane to lead and manage the establishment of the National Cancer Control Programme to implement the National Strategy for Cancer Control;

the additional investment of over €1 billion in cancer control since 1997; and

that the National Development Plan 2007-2013 includes major investment in the implementation of the Cancer Control Strategy, including state of the art diagnostic and treatment facilities.

I do not want to be side-tracked by some statements made by Deputy Ó Caoláin, except to say that no such conversation took place with an RTE executive.

If no confidence motions and political rows could solve our health service problems, we would have the most perfect system in the world. The former health boards would be renowned all over the world, with other countries rushing to put such a model in place. The reality, however, is that politics in recent years has bedevilled health care policy.

I have had the privilege of being elected to the House on nine occasions by the people of west Dublin. On nine separate occasions, they have placed their confidence in me, a confidence I take seriously. The faith and trust they place in me is not just an issue now but an issue for me every day. On four occasions I have had the privilege of being appointed to Government and received the confidence of the House, a privilege I take seriously. It is a great honour and I defend the decisions of the Government as a loyal colleague should. If I could not do that, I would not stay in the Government. If any action of mine compromised patient care, led to a misdiagnosis and delayed treatment for a patient, the Opposition would not have to put down a motion of no confidence. It simply would not arise.

The issue of cancer care and health care reform is as fundamental to our society today as resolving the Northern Ireland problem was for many years. I am not naive and seeking a carte blanche on the health care issue but I invite the leaders of the Opposition to consider a bipartisan approach on cancer services. Our citizens deserve that we do that.

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