Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State. St. Luke's Hospital, Rathgar, which has cared for patients for more than 50 years, has a reputation for excellence of treatment and devoted care of patients that is exceptional. The Bill before Members provides for the dissolution of the board, which then will become the responsibility of the HSE and specifically of the national cancer control programme. It is important to note that St. Luke's will continue to provide specialist radiotherapy and related services at Rathgar for the next four to five years until the planned facilities at St. James's and Beaumont hospitals come on-stream fully.

I welcome the significant provision in the Bill that the final decision on the long-term use of the beautiful and tranquil site will lie with the Minister and that the intention is to retain it for health purposes. I strongly advocate its use for support services for cancer patients in the future. I am aware that the board of the hospital and the Friends of St. Luke's Hospital will present a proposal on these lines to the Minister in the near future.

I pay tribute to the board, management and staff of St. Luke's. They and their predecessors can be proud of the service and ethos they built up over the years. All those staff will continue to contribute their expertise and service either at St. Luke's or at the other patients' centres in Dublin in the future. I also wish to acknowledge the passionate commitment of Mr. Joe Guilfoyle from County Waterford and the commitment of the patient support group led by him. In addition, I commend the work of the Friends of St. Luke's Hospital in mobilising funds and support for the hospital in every parish in Ireland. I acknowledge the role of the current chairman, Peter Byers, and his predecessor, David O'Halloran. It is fitting that the new radiation oncology network in Dublin involving St. James's and Beaumont hospitals is called the St. Luke's radiation oncology network.

Finally, I wish to put on record that my husband, Padraic White, was the chairman of the board of St. Luke's for the past ten years and I commend him on his dedication and his belief in the ethos and staff of St. Luke's, who provided an oasis for those with cancer in Ireland.