David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I accept that it is a difficult issue to deal with, but the Government must do so.

Apart from the availability of medicines, another key issue for health service delivery is the provision of infrastructure. My county of Waterford - indeed, the south east as a whole - still does not have the type of cancer services infrastructure that is needed. The previous Government committed to the delivery of a fully dedicated and integrated oncology unit, with the three modalities of cancer care to be provided on-site at the public hospital in Waterford. That commitment was not met. We have a fantastic oncology team in Waterford but we do not have the types of facility that are needed. It is the only region in the country, for example, without a hospice unit. There is an urgent need for capital investment in the south east, as I am sure is also the case for other parts of the country. The previous Administration produced a very good national cancer care strategy. Unfortunately, because of the economic situation in which we find ourselves, the capital investment required to deliver the strategy has not been forthcoming. An effective cancer care service requires not just access to medicines but also the provision of the world-class infrastructure necessary to provide the cancer treatment our citizens require.