Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I will finish on this point. In Northern Ireland alone there are four screening centres in Lurgan, Antrim, Belfast and Altnagelvin, spread out on a regional basis. Others areas in Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged by these services whereas the west and the north-west are so disadvantaged.

No consultant radiation oncologist is visiting Letterkenny at present. This means patients must travel to Dublin on the N2-A5 road for treatment. This road is an infrastructural nightmare, although that is an issue for another day. The situation in Letterkenny is disgraceful. Cancer services must be addressed because one in three people will develop cancer. Some 25% of women will survive if they are screened properly.