Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Quinn in his call for the Construction Contracts Bill to come to the House before the Seanad breaks. I acknowledge the work done by Senator Quinn in progressing the Bill which is vital to the construction hardware sector in the country. I hope the Bill will come to the House.

I refer to the proposed cross-Border radiotherapy unit for Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. On Thursday evening and Friday morning we learned that the Northern Ireland Executive and the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the North indicated they could not proceed with the project because sufficient funds were not available to run this centre when constructed in 2015. The Irish Government has invested huge amounts of time, energy, effort and resources in terms of money to set up the capital end of the project and the running costs when constructed in 2015. The centre has received the approval and the financial commitment of the Irish Government. However, the business plan or model has not been approved by Stormont Executive. I am saddened by the lack of commitment from the Stormont Executive to this vital radiotherapy unit that will service the north west with a population of 300,000 people.

A political party claims to represent people on both sides of the Border. That party blames the British Government for this. When things are going well in the North, Sinn Féin claims credit. When things are not going so well, Sinn Féin distances itself from the decision and blames the British Government. That party cannot continue to talk out of both sides of its mouth. It is holding a public meeting in Derry on Monday night but any community group in the country can do so. If Sinn Féin is in a power-sharing Executive in the North, how can it distance itself from the decision of the Executive and the lack of commitment shown by the Executive? It is time Sinn Féin talked straight with the Irish electorate on both sides of the Border and stopped talking out of both sides of its mouth. I would like to see the Minister for Health and Children in this Chamber before the session is finished. This is a matter of major significance to the people in the north west. The Minister for Health and Children should come into the Chamber next week if possible. I have been in communication with her and the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the North. The decision taken not to continue with this project is a sin and cannot be allowed to happen.