Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 132: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her Department's guidelines for the administration of chemotherapy are being breached due to the failure of her Department to adequately resource oncology services in regard to adequate day wards and designated oncology wards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9549/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the delivery of hospital services, including the application of guidelines for the use of cytotoxic medical preparations in the treatment of patients with cancer. The principal element in the implementation of guidelines is the provision of services by medical consultants with appropriate training in cancer chemotherapy.

Since 1997, cumulative additional investment of approximately €720 million in cancer care has led to the appointment of an additional 109 consultants, including 18 medical oncologists, 12 haematologists and over 250 cancer nurse specialists. This investment has ensured that there has been a significant improvement in the range and quality of cancer services generally and in particular in medical oncology and in the provision of oncology drugs.