Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Eamon Scanlon that this issue cannot be ignored. I appreciate his contribution and the discussion on this important issue. The focus of the Department of Health and the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme is the provision of cancer services and specifically the implementation of the national cancer strategy.

I take the Deputy's point on the Travel2Care transportation assistance fund. It has been made available by the National Cancer Control Programme to patients travelling to a designated centre, approved centres or an approved children's hospital for assessment, diagnosis, surgery and active treatment. It is administered by the Irish Cancer Society, and if enough of the public do not know about this service, we absolutely have to deal with that.

The focus is on centres of excellence. I am open to correction on this, but as far as I know the nearest hospitals for those in the north-west are Altnagelvin Area Hospital and Galway University Hospital. Those are the designated centres of excellence. The Deputy makes a valid point about travel costs. It is a difficult time for families, and perhaps we will have to look again at whether the annual €0.35 million in assistance to the Irish Cancer Society is enough to support cancer patients.

I will bring back all the issues raised today to the Minister, Deputy Harris, and get a more detailed response.

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