Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Connolly for the question. I also thank the Saolta group and the Irish Cancer Society for the work they do, much of which the Deputy referenced. It is good work on highlighting the issue for the Deputy's constituency and region. The Government that the Deputy and I are part of is committed to improving cancer care. We are committed to ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements we have seen in Ireland, thankfully, in many cancer survival rates and protecting and improving timely access to treatment.

As the Deputy stated, cancer services in the west and north west are delivered through a designated cancer centre in Galway, with local services operating out of smaller hospitals in the region. University Hospital Galway also supports a satellite centre for breast cancer at Letterkenny University Hospital. I am pleased to say there has been significant investment in cancer services in the west in recent years. This year, 14 additional posts were allocated to the region, which support surgical oncology, radiotherapy, survivorship and CAR T-cell immunotherapy and those with a family history of breast cancer. My understanding is that the acute haematology oncology service is also being expanded this year, with the allocation of an additional advanced nurse practitioner. These nurses provide a dedicated telephone service for patients undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy, enabling those who are ill to avoid attending the emergency department. The additional staff will help to expand the services further and to further improve access for patients. These posts will build on growth in cancer services in recent years. Seventy-six additional staff were allocated to University Hospital Galway under the national cancer control programme between 2017 and 2022.

However, the Deputy is right to highlight the issue of capital investment, which is at the core of his question. We have seen some recent capital investment in cancer services in Galway, including the new state-of-the-art radiation oncology centre, which opened in 2023 and was a €72 million investment in cancer services. It has allowed the development of new stereotactic radiotherapy programmes to commence in January this year. As the Deputy said, a number of major capital projects are under consideration now for Galway, including a new cancer centre alongside a new emergency department, replacement laboratories and inpatient ward blocks.

I met some of the medics who were involved in the proposal for the cancer centre when I was in Galway in the recent past. I acknowledge the huge amount of work being done by them in good faith with the Saolta Group, the HSE and the Department of Health. I am aware of the new master plan for the hospital. It is an exciting proposition. It could be a game-changer for the west.

The statement of fact at the moment is that we are working on finalising the national development plan. We expect to be in a position to bring it to the Government on Tuesday. It will provide a significant uplift in capital investment for our health services and will provide the Minister for Health, the HSE and the Saolta Group with the certainty they need to decide on their next steps. The Minister for Health will keep in close contact with the Deputy as that progresses in the days ahead.

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