Brendan Kenneally (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Walsh for sharing time. Our both speaking on this issue shows that there is some solidarity in the south-east region because this is perhaps the most important issue with which people – not only those in Waterford but the entire population of the south-east – are concerned. It is not often that people in the south-east come together to put forward a view on an issue on which they are at one. However, this is such an issue. I will not list all the reasons that we need this service. Senator Walsh has mentioned some and they are all well known. The Minister for Health and Children is aware of them because they have been brought to his attention on numerous occasions.

There have been suggestions that the report of the committee chaired by Professor Hollywood is with the Minister but that he has not yet brought it to Cabinet. There have been some leaks and while we cannot testify to their veracity, they tend to be accurate. One of the suggestions is that when the south-east reaches a certain critical mass, a radiotherapy unit should be located there. A decision was made in 1998 to establish such a unit in Galway. The best estimate indicates that this unit will be in operation by 2005. Many people do not realise that there is a long lead-in period to establish units of this sort.

I do not know when the report suggests that the south-east will reach critical mass – whether it be 2010 or 2012 – but there is no point in waiting until that time and then deciding that the region has reached the required critical mass to establish in a radiotherapy unit, which would take a further seven years. That is nonsense. We have to decide to work back seven years from 2010, 2012 or whenever the population will be there to sustain it, designate it as a lead-in period and move towards establishing a unit in the south-east. I have made that point to the Minister on numerous occasions and I hope that he will take it on board.

I appreciate that the Minister is trying to achieve best practice for all patients and is intent on putting in place a system that will give all patients proper cancer treatment, which even he acknowledges they are not receiving at present. However, there are some matters – one of which involves access – that are out of his control. The biggest difficulty is that patients from the south-east are obliged to travel to Dublin, they are thrown around in ambulances on their journey, they have no place to stay in the city when they arrive and they are obliged to return home. Even if accommodation was provided, it might be suitable only for someone who is more settled in life who perhaps does not have any responsibilities at home and can stay away for a few weeks.

Cancer can attack anybody, at any age, and, unfortunately, many young mothers are being diagnosed with the disease. They cannot stay away from home for five or six weeks, they have to go home every evening to look after their children and so on.