Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

We are talking about services that go beyond the cancer strategy. The Deputy correctly identified regional gaps that need to be filled by the regions, particularly where they are not meeting their targets or the same standard as other parts of the country. For example, this week, I was in Bantry, where there are two endoscopy suites, which are really important for bowel cancer and gastric cancers generally, but are under-utilised, although there are two theatres. That is a form of investment in cancer and in preventing, diagnosing and ultimately treating cancer. The two suites are there but are under-utilised. One of them is running for half of one week and the other is not being utilised at all, yet there is a list in Cork. The facility is there and we have to reorganise the resources. It does not necessarily need new people. It needs consultants from CUH to come out. Some of them are already doing that; others need to come out.

The totality of investment in cancer is around treatment, drugs, diagnostics and, as the Deputy correctly identified, utilising the infrastructure we already have in a more complete way. I am trying to do that, hospital by hospital and region by region, to make sure that is maximised. In the letter of determination in the service plan, it will be for the region to recognise where it is coming up short and to make sure it is allocating its resources in an appropriate way.

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