Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

On many occasions I have been given the opportunity to raise the provision of a radiotherapy unit for the Limerick area. The expert review is out today and I am disappointed that Limerick is not included as one of the locations for such units. There are about 1,500 cases of cancer each year in the mid-west region, of which 750 require radiotherapy. It is contrary to the principle of palliative care to have people travelling long distances for radiotherapy. The review is a retrograde step for a population of 350,000 which, according to international standards, would justify having two linear accelerators based in that location. I hope this matter will be reconsidered in the context of the long awaited health reform document on future advances in the Limerick area.