Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for her presence and I ask her to refer all that is relayed and discussed in this Commencement matter to the Minister, Deputy Harris, for response. Sarcoma Ireland first met the Minister, Deputy Harris, in the first week of July. A commitment was given at that meeting to the group that a specialist sarcoma consultant would be recruited to St. Vincent's University Hospital to look after the serious illnesses faced by those who suffer from sarcomas. In the intervening period there has been much toing and froing between the Minister's office, St. Vincent's University Hospital and the national cancer control programme. In essence, a commitment was given but it looks as if it has not been followed through. I acknowledge and welcome members of Sarcoma Ireland, who came here at last-minute notice, to the Public Gallery. I hope they will have more success through this Commencement matter in getting answers from the Department and the Minister, who has ceased communicating with them despite their numerous attempts to do so. They have not even received acknowledgements.

The following questions have been put to the Minister in writing. I now put them to the Minister of State for a response and ask her to bring them again to the Minister's attention. Why does the job description contain no mention of experience in treating sarcoma patients or a requirement to be engaged actively in research in this area? Why has a separate medical area of neuroendocrine tumours been mentioned in the job description? This is not related to sarcoma. Who is on the interview panels? There is no need to name names. The roles will suffice. Do they include an independent international expert on sarcoma who can access candidates competently? Why has the position not been advertised publicly? The position has appeared only on St. Vincent's internal human resources system and not publicly on websites frequently used by St. Vincent's as well as the HSE and other hospitals. Lastly, will St. Vincent's provide an assurance that 80% of the workload of the sarcoma specialist will be dedicated to sarcoma patients?

In essence, there was an agreement on 6 July for a new oncology post with expertise in sarcoma. The advertisement is completely watered down and does not give confidence that the post is that sought and agreed by these patients and the Minister. Sarcoma patients are extremely ill people. They ask simply that they be provided with the most experienced sarcoma specialist available. They do not believe that the current position advertised will meet their needs. The recruitment process is fundamentally flawed. We implore St. Vincent's hospital to re-advertise the role together with more specific candidate requirements, that is, a stronger emphasis on sarcoma and experience and interest in the research on it and a requirement that 80% of the oncologist's time will be spent treating sarcoma patients.

Again, I thank the members of Sarcoma Ireland who have fought for months to get the services they deserve. They cannot wait for more indecision on this matter. The closing date for applications for the post is this Friday, and even at that it could be at least four months before the consultant is in situ. Will the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, confirm this? We got the promise months ago, and now it looks as if it could be at least four months before someone is in situgiven the prolonged interview and employment process. Lastly, will the Minister of State provide to me in writing the timescale involved in the interviewing, recruiting and posting as a consultant for this role and written confirmation of how this will be implemented? I would very much appreciate that.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this issue and I welcome members of the organisation in question to the Gallery. I respond on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris. The Senator has raised a number of questions which I will not be able to answer, but I have taken note of them. I will bring them directly to the Minister's attention and ask him to respond to her. I thank Senator Devine for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the matter.

As the Senator and many people know, sarcomas are rare cancers, with about 220 cases occurring annually in Ireland. Services for patients with sarcoma are currently provided in St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin and Cork University Hospital. Both hospitals are designated cancer centres and have an extensive range of multidisciplinary services and expert clinical advice available to them.

A national clinical lead in soft tissue sarcomas is in place to oversee services for patients. Patients have their cases presented and discussed at one of the two sarcoma multidisciplinary teams, and members of these teams have links with European specialists in sarcoma. The treatment of sarcoma requires integrated multidisciplinary care, with the involvement of many different clinicians. St. Vincent's University Hospital has provided highly specialised and individualised treatment to sarcoma sufferers for a number of years. St. Vincent's has access to all the relevant specialties for treatment, including surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology and pathology, and it is the largest provider of surgical procedures for soft tissue sarcomas in the country. The Health Service Executive, HSE, and the Department of Health are very much committed to providing a high-quality, responsive and sustainable service for sarcoma patients.

To support the existing range of services for patients with sarcoma, an additional permanent post of consultant medical oncologist with a specialist interest in sarcoma has been approved for St. Vincent's. The recruitment for this post, as the Senator noted, is under way. It has been advertised both online and in other media and I will ask for clarification as to whether it goes further than what has been outlined. The closing date for applications is 27 November. The job description for the position makes it clear that the post will provide a specialist service for sarcoma patients, and this will be a focus during the recruitment process.

The Department is currently working on a new national cancer strategy for the next decade. Services for rare cancers such as sarcoma have received considerable attention in the development of the strategy, which will aim to meet the needs of patients in the treatment of cancer and improving their quality of life. Other areas of focus will include prevention, the early diagnosis of cancer and the facilitation of patient input. The Minister intends to publish the new strategy in the coming months.

On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris, I assure the Senator that the recruitment process is ongoing and will be concluded shortly. In the meantime, high-quality services will continue to be delivered by the multidisciplinary sarcoma teams, including the team at St. Vincent's University Hospital. I cannot answer the questions on the interview panels, the independent experts and the timeframe of four months currently but I will refer them to the Minister and ask him to revert to the Senator directly.

Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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Many of the questions I asked have not been answered, which is disappointing. For the past year or so, or perhaps a bit longer, the patients were very competently served by a previous oncologist with a specialism in sarcoma. All they are looking for is somebody with expertise, interest, knowledge and research relating to sarcoma. There was something rotten, perhaps, in the state of the health service and being "off-sited" to St. Luke's, which is not, from the Minister of State's response, a centre of excellence for sarcoma. This only allows a consultant to take blood and give results but previously there was a good record in St. Vincent's hospital of hands-on, modern and effective treatment. It is a real concern and perhaps this is related to the politics of St. Vincent's hospital. Sin scéal eile for another day.

I must impress on the Minister of State the need to get an immediate answer to those questions. This will shut down on Friday. We do not know the timeline but people will be invited for interview and the interviewing panel, I hope, will consist of an expert. We need to know how long the process will take. If somebody is chosen and takes the post, there may be a delay in moving from one job to another. Four months would be a long time, although it seems realistic. Again, patients would be left in limbo and left between two stools. I would appreciate an immediate response from the Minister, Deputy Harris.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I again stress that I will bring this to the Minister's attention. People were previously looked after by somebody with expertise and that is the least that anybody should or will expect in future. I will bring the issues to the Minister and ask for a direct response.