Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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I would like to give one minute of my time to Deputy Lynch.

I pay tribute to the leukemia unit of the Mercy Hospital in Cork for the great work done for sick children in Cork city, county and surrounding counties. I also pay tribute to the Mercy order, which set up the unit, as well as to those people who helped to fund the unit through the years. I ask the Minister for Health and Children to make a statement on the decision of the Irish Medicines Board instructing the hospital to suspend all clinical trial related activities for the treatment of child leukemia with effect from 15 March, because consultants at Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin were unwilling to sign a document outlining the Mercy Hospital's responsibilities under a shared care programme forwarded by the Mercy Hospital to Our Lady's Hospital. This will have serious implications for the treatment of sick children in the greater Cork area, who will be forced to travel to Dublin several times a week in some cases.

I also ask for a statement on the failure of the Department of Health and Children to sanction a replacement consultant haematologist for the children's leukemia unit. There are difficulties arising as a result of the retirement of a consultant next May, but whose retirement has been well known for 12 months by the Southern Health Board and the Department of Health and Children. As a consequence of the imminent retirement of the consultant, the children's leukemia unit in the Mercy Hospital can no longer take on new cases of childhood cancers and leukemia. All such cases in the Cork region are being treated in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children and only existing patients are being treated in the children's leukemia unit in the Mercy Hospital.

The cancer treatment of children is protracted and the children and at least one family member are being forced to travel long distances for essential treatment, sometimes on public transport. This has a traumatic effect on children, on their immediate families and often on their extended families, who may provide necessary support and assistance to family members left at home. Therefore, the appointment of the new post of consultant haematologist with an interest in child haematology should be made as quickly as possible to allow the children's leukaemia unit again to take on new cases of child cancers, including leukaemia, in the region.

I am aware that earlier this year the Tánaiste was contacted about this matter but the affected parents have not yet received a response. The families I have met are extremely distressed and concerned about what is happening. Some of them make long journeys to Dublin with sick children who must often fast before treatment. They must also make the long return journey to Cork after receiving treatment. The parents and their children are distressed and upset by the uncertainty of the situation and the extensive travel involved. It is essential for these issues to be resolved as quickly as possible. It will be a scandal if bureaucratic barriers affecting the operation of the unit cannot be set aside quickly and effectively.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I thank Deputy Allen for allowing me to share his time slot. I am also grateful to the Ceann Comhairle's office for allowing this issue to be raised on the Adjournment. When one considers the statistics, it is clear that Ireland is one of the wealthiest nations in Europe. However, if we cannot provide the type of treatment necessary for children who are critically ill, that wealth is worth nothing to us. Over the years, the leukaemia unit in the Mercy Hospital has done trojan work. As a testament to that work, the hospital has a committee which includes the parents of children who have been treated and cured in that unit. They still work on behalf of the unit and now work on behalf of the 50 families of children who are treated there.

Can the Minister of State imagine their shock when they were informed that the person who oversees the treatment of their children was retiring? His retirement has been known about for almost a year. As a result of changes in the health services system, the Health Service Executive is now demanding that the application process for that post should recommence. In the meantime, no new cases of child leukaemia diagnosed in Cork and the surrounding areas will be treated by the leukaemia unit in the Mercy Hospital. Therefore, new patients will have to travel to Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin. Very sick children may have to travel to Dublin weekly all because the Government refuses to put in place the necessary personnel to ensure that the unit can continue to render the sterling service it has provided for many years.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to be associated with the tributes paid by Deputy Allen to the service providers. I know the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, would also like to be associated with those tributes. I thank Deputy Allen and Deputy Lynch for raising this matter on the Adjournment which I am answering on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children.

I have good news to convey and wish to correct the record as regards some of the information that has been provided in this regard. The Irish Medicines Board is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of human medicinal products in Ireland. This includes the regulation of clinical trials. The Tánaiste understands that activities related to the conduct of clinical trials were suspended in the Mercy Hospital, Cork, on 15 March 2005 due to issues requiring clarification under the terms of a shared care agreement between Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, and the Mercy Hospital.

The purpose of the shared care agreement is to ensure that clinical trial related activities are carried out to the same high standards at all locations. I am pleased to inform the House the Tánaiste has been advised that these issues have now been resolved and that all the parties involved have signed up to the shared care agreement. The Irish Medicines Board today lifted the suspension and the Mercy Hospital has been notified of this. The unit was not closed down and there were no implications for children who are undergoing clinical trials for leukaemia treatment at the unit.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Nobody ever said the unit was being closed down.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please allow the Minister of State to continue without interruption.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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As regards the appointment of a consultant paediatrician, the Department of Health and Children is not responsible for the advertising of individual consultant posts. It is, therefore, incorrect to state that the Department failed to advertise for a replacement consultant paediatrician for the Mercy University Hospital. The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of acute hospital services and the appointment of new or replacement consultant posts. As such, the Department of Health and Children no longer has a role in the funding arrangements for individual consultant posts.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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That is only since January.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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As regards cancer services in the southern region, a professor of paediatrics is employed for three sessions at the Mercy University Hospital to provide paediatric care for children attending the hospital. The professor is due to retire at the end of May 2005. As to the continuation of these services, the hospital is to submit a proposal for a locum consultant to the Health Service Executive, as a matter of priority. This proposal is for an appointment for a 12-month period with a sessional commitment of 5.5 sessions to the Mercy University Hospital.

Considerable investment has been made in recent years in the development of cancer services in the southern region. Since 1997, the HSE's southern area has received an investment of approximately €80 million for oncology services, including this year's allocation of an additional €3.5 million from national cancer strategy funding to address increased regional pressures in oncology services. This funding has provided for the approval of an additional 11 consultants in key areas of cancer care delivery.

The funding has also provided for the appointment of 27 cancer care nurse specialists throughout the region. Additional Revenue funding of €1.55 million is being allocated from national cancer strategy funding in 2005 to address increased regional pressures. A number of southern region hospitals are benefiting to the value of approximately €1 million for colorectal and plastic surgery, while the Mercy University Hospital will benefit to the extent of €300,000 for oncology service pressures. The South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital will receive an additional €250,000 for cancer related services.

Capital funding of more than €4 million has been provided for the development of radiation oncology services at Cork University Hospital and ongoing revenue funding of €3 million is being provided to cater for the expansion of these services. I hope that reply has been informative and helpful for the Deputies who raised the question.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply.