Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Doherty for sharing time with me, which gives me an opportunity to consolidate my position and support much of what the Senator has just said. In the general context, I welcome yesterday's announcement of the development of eight new specialist centres under the national cancer control programme. We must all welcome such a development which will benefit cancer patients enormously. The issue of the centre in the north west is identified in this programme through the Letterkenny-Belfast linkage. I support Senator Doherty's assertion that we should foster links with the new Administration in Northern Ireland and that a meeting between the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and Minister McGimpsey should take place as soon as possible. Such a meeting should attempt to identify a co-ordinated, strategic approach to cancer services, whether that be through linking Letterkenny with Derry or with Belfast. My personal preference would be for a Derry-Letterkenny approach.

While I do not want to score a political point here, it is worth noting that when the centralisation of services took place in Northern Ireland in 2001 and 2002, it was a Minister from Senator Doherty's party who was responsible for the centralising of services in Belfast. I support much of what Senator Doherty has said. We must take a holistic approach to the issue in the north west. It is important that the same level of service is available in the north west as in the rest of the country.