Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-North Leitrim, Independent)

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue. It is widely known that the situation regarding the provision of cancer services in Sligo General Hospital has been very difficult during the past 18 months. Despite the best efforts of Deputy Devins, Senator Mark MacSharry and me, the diagnosing and surgical services have been moved to University Hospital Galway. I am very disappointed that has happened.

During that period Opposition parties made what I can only describe as a political football out of the situation in Sligo General Hospital. Opposition politicians who came to Sligo gave assurances on this, that and the other and promised the people there that when they returned to the Dáil after the summer recess they would table Private Members' motions on the retention of cancer services in Sligo General Hospital. The leaders of the two main Opposition parties were asked to sign pledges for the continuation of services in Sligo General Hospital, but they refused to do that. Despite that, their spokespeople gave assurances that they would raise the issue in the Dáil. They were supposed to do that in October, but it is now November and that still has not happened.

During the course of the deliberations on the transfer of diagnostics and surgery to University Hospital Galway, quite a number of meetings took place with the local committee on the services that would be provided in Sligo General Hospital following the transfer of services to University Hospital Galway. The Minister, Deputy Harney, Professor Drumm, and Professor Keane were in attendance at one meeting in particular at which guaranteed assurances were given to the people availing of the services in Sligo General Hospital, to people who had already availed of surgical services at that hospital, and to people who would have cancer surgery in University Hospital Galway and follow-up treatment in Sligo General Hospital, that mammography services and clinics would be available for these people in Sligo General Hospital.

I have received numerous letters during the past three weeks about this issue. It has been widely stated on local radio by many women, who are in a very distressed state, that they are being told different stories. I understand the director of the national cancer control programme issued a statement last week to the local radio station indicating that nothing had changed and that people would receive services in Sligo General Hospital. The people are being told something different apparently in the hospital. People are in doubt about the services that are being provided in Sligo General Hospital. That is not fair. This is an issue that needs to be resolved, however that may happen, even if it means that a person from the national care strategy comes to Sligo General Hospital to meet these people.

We all have had friends who had cancer. We all know the stress of that on a family. These people certainly do not need any more stress. They should not be left in doubt as to where they will have their next clinical appointment or mammogram. There were two radiologists in Sligo General Hospital and I understand one of them retired recently. Perhaps this is causing a problem. If do not know that it is, but if it is, people should be told.

Will the Minister ensure that this issue resolved one way or another and let the people know the position? That is the least they expect. If the services will not be provided in Sligo General Hospital, the people should be honestly told that. We are talking about sick people who are suffering and who do not really know their future. They deserve much more than the current position. What is happening is wrong.

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