Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

We need to acknowledge the report's findings of "systemic weaknesses in governance, management and communications" within the system in the Midland Regional Hospital.

Many Deputies have quoted Europa Donna Ireland, some with a negative aspect. I want to concentrate on the positive. It has claimed rightly that a priority is to consolidate the eight designated centres of excellence in assessing the logistical arrangements for multidisciplinary teams and other staff, of which good communications must be a part, filtering down through the system. Clear communications and clarity of responsibility is essential.

Another recommendation of that report is worth noting, namely, the establishment of a national IT system capable of analysing and auditing the clinical activity and related administration and management across the eight specialist centres to assure best practice, which would be an essential feature of the early warning systems to minimise the risk of errors. I heartily endorse this recommendation.

There is a good Latin saying, carpe diem — seize the day. Let us seize this day. Progress has been made. Professor Keane has commenced his work well. Centralised centres for diagnosis are the way forward and the national cancer control programme will mean centralised, focused diagnostic centres with treatment counselling and therapies available at the nearest possible location to the patient.

To end on an optimistic note — we must be optimistic if we are to achieve change — there is goodwill. The staff of the HSE, of whom I know many, are good-spirited, hard-working and courageous. Let us not destroy that goodwill by casting sweeping aspersions on the entire system. There must be increased transparency in communication between the various strands of cancer care and administration — we all know this. Let the lessons be learned. The litmus test is that the women who have contacted me since this sorry episode tell me they believe wholeheartedly in the cancer control programme. What they do not believe in, however, are the gaps, omissions and failures. These must be eradicated to ensure women's confidence in the service at an intensely vulnerable time of their lives.

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