Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 64: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on reports that women in the north-west choose to have mastectomies due to the fact that they cannot face the long distances and travel for cancer care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20897/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I would be saddened if any woman would chose to have a mastectomy rather than travelling to receive the best care available.

Patients in the north-west requiring radiation oncology are currently being referred to the recently commissioned radiation oncology department at University College Hospital Galway, UCHG, and also to St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin. A consultant radiation oncologist with significant sessional commitments to the north-western area has recently been appointed to UCHG. In addition, further discussions are scheduled to take place later this month between the HSE north-western area and Belfast City Hospital in regard to access to radiation oncology services for patients in the north-west — mainly Donegal. I will be meeting the Northern Ireland Minister for Health and Children on 5 July in Dublin to discuss this and other matters. My Department has asked the parliamentary affairs division of the Health Service Executive to advise the Deputy of progress on these discussions. The state of the art facility at Belfast City Hospital is scheduled to open in early 2006.