Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit.

Senator Devine has four minutes.

Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for her attendance. I am not sure how well aware she is of Sarcoma Ireland, which formed last June or July owing to the lack of expert care in treating sarcoma here following the loss of a very experienced locum at the time. After much toing and froing we met the Minister, Deputy Harris. We asked him a series of five questions which have still not been answered. In that meeting in July he agreed that filling that post was necessary and he committed to advertise that post as soon as possible. This has been advertised and apparently the interviews took place last week.

I welcome Susan and her sister Anna in the Gallery today. There would be many more; nine have since passed away in the few months that they have been together as a group. Those are only the people that we know of because of their protests. The rest are ill and unable to attend.

I have five questions I would like the Minister of State to answer today. How many applications were received for this post? How many of those applicants were deemed qualified and eligible for interview? Who are the members of the interview panel? What is the most likely date the appointee will start to work at the sarcoma clinic? These are important questions and we need transparency in this appointment. Several different meandering paths have been taken and we really have not got to the point whereby we will get the expertise these patients require. We need a response from the Minister of State. I might also ask for the Minister, Deputy Harris, to contact me by the end of the day. The members of Sarcoma Ireland want five minutes with the Minister to discuss issues further.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister apologises that he cannot be here this morning. On his behalf, I thank Senator Devine for raising the issue, which gives me an opportunity to update the House on the matter. 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 in 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 sarcomas 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 of the relevant specialties for treatment, including surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology and pathology. It is the largest provider of surgical procedures for soft tissue sarcomas in the country.

The Health Service Executive is committed lo 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 special interest in sarcoma has been approved for St. Vincent’s. The HSE has advised that interviews for this position took place last week and a successful candidate has been identified.

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 developing the strategy. The strategy will aim to meet the needs of patients in the treatment of cancer and in improving their quality of life. Other areas of focus will include prevention, early diagnosis of cancer and facilitating patient input. The Minister, Deputy Harris, intends to publish the new strategy in the coming weeks. I would like to assure the Senator that high quality services will continue to be delivered by the multidisciplinary sarcoma teams, including the team at St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

In response to the questions raised by the Senator, unfortunately, I do not have answers at present. I will pass on her comments to the Minister and I will also inform him that Senator Devine would like him to contact her. Although I do not know precisely where he is at present, I know the Senator is looking for some kind of a meeting, so I will pass on that request. As I said, I do not have answers to the Senator's specific questions. She has answered one of them herself in that somebody has been appointed and the starting date is due shortly.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I think the most prudent way to proceed is if Senator Devine could get an assurance that the Minister, Deputy Harris, will meet her. The Minister of State is not the line Minister.

Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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There are outstanding questions concerning how the applications were dealt with, how candidates were deemed qualified for interview and who were the members of the interview panel. It is great that the Minister will launch the new strategy in the coming weeks and I hope this will facilitate patient input. However, these people do not have that time. They have lost several of their comrades in the last few months and more are very sick and unable to make it today. Who is the new person who has been appointed? Has the process followed the European Society for Medical Oncology guidelines and the protocol that should be followed in regard to this appointment? How do I get the attention of the Minister, Deputy Harris?

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I do not have that information to hand. I will pass on Senator Devine's concerns to the Minister and inform him that she is seeking to meet him. However, I cannot give her any commitment as to whether or not the Minister can meet her. That is up to him, not me.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I am sure the Senator will pursue it further if she does not get a response.