Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I will finish with a compelling point, and if the Minister can dispute it I will be happy for her do so. I understand that before attending the centre of excellence in Galway, the patients will be seen by the same personnel of oncologist, radiologist, pathologist and surgeon in Letterkenny and Mayo as will see them in Galway. What is the logic of that? In what way will it enhance the welfare of those patients to be seen by the same personnel in Galway? The logic of that escapes me. Where possible, we should keep services local.

Finally, although it is not germane to this debate, it is an abomination that the Minister is proceeding with the co-location plan. It is wrong to put a two tier health system in place and to give public hospital grounds for private hospitals to create a system for the rich, famous and powerful. The location of private hospitals on the same grounds as public hospitals will mean the public hospitals will ultimately become the slums of hospital care because money dictates these things. That is wrong. It is also wrong to have a grand plan for cancer services without a statement of specific resources to match it.