Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

On 12 June 2009 the HSE insisted that cost cutting measures would not impact on cancer treatment services, yet the general manager of UCHG warned it that enforced cutbacks would prevent the hospital from functioning as one of the eight cancer care centres of excellence. Again, there is a contradiction. The HSE makes a point about quality of care, yet the person charged with the responsibility for delivering services states the cut backs are impacting and preventing the hospital from becoming a centre of excellence. The necessary resources are not being provided and the enforced cutbacks are preventing the hospital from functioning to that end. That is a very serious statement from the general manager of UCHG which highlights the points we have been making on the transition, how it will be managed and its timeframe.