Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I wish to deal with Portlaoise. In 1996 a Fine Gael Minister, Deputy Noonan, presided over a cancer strategy which designated Tullamore as the centre of excellence for the midlands. The health board was asked to appoint a regional medical director to oversee the implementation of the strategy and Dr. Donal Hollywood was appointed.

In 1998 a meeting of the health board took place at which it overturned his recommendation to appoint a medical oncologist and a haematologist to Tullamore hospital, with sessions in Mullingar and Portlaoise. The health board said it wanted the haematologist in Mullingar and the medical oncologist in Portlaoise. The members of the health board came with a deputation to the Minister, who at that stage was Deputy Cowen, and the National Cancer Forum was involved. The medical director and everyone else said it was the wrong strategy. The health board reversed the decision in favour of Tullamore. Then Deputy Charles Flanagan applied for a High Court injunction which was dismissed on the basis that it was futile. These are the people who tell me they want centres of excellence but when we seek to put one in place——

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