Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

The Minister met with clinicians in Letterkenny recently and there has been significant investment in Letterkenny hospital over the years. There can be challenges. There have been contributions from the Republic in investment in Altnagelvin. Looking at Donegal geographically, particularly Inishowen, the cross-Border services and capacity need to be strengthened to facilitate access. Under earlier cancer strategies, Galway was the main centre for the north west, which is a significant distance. We need to look strategically at concentrating cancer services, which I believe in. That was the prevailing expert view for a long time. I am slightly concerned that there is an erosion of that principle and people are going back to a county hospital approach to cancer treatment, which, in my view, will not give optimal outcomes. That is something we need to examine. The proliferation of private centres militates against the overarching objective of the State, which should be optimal outcomes and top-class centres of excellence with multidisciplinary teams providing treatment and care.

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