Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to improve cancer treatment in general, especially accessibility to radiotherapy for Donegal cancer patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28941/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government is committed to making the full range of cancer services available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland in line with best international standards. It is important to build teams of highly expert clinicians working together to deliver top quality cancer care to cancer patients. To this end, we will provide considerable investment in oncology services in the coming years. We will build on the substantial investment in cancer care since 1997 which has resulted in the funding of over 100 additional consultant posts in key areas of cancer care and over 327 cancer care nurses throughout the country.

BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, covers the eastern, north-eastern and midland regions of the country. The expansion of the programme to the south east has commenced and screening services are now available in counties Wexford and Carlow. The roll out to County Kilkenny will commence in 2006.

The roll out of the programme to the remaining regions in the country is a major priority in the development of cancer services. A design team has been appointed to work up detailed plans for the construction of two new BreastCheck clinical units, one at the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork and the other at University College Hospital, Galway. It is anticipated that, subject to obtaining satisfactory planning approval, the design process, including the preparation of the tender documentation, will be completed by mid-2006. Approximately €21 million capital funding has been made available and my Department is in discussions with BreastCheck about the revenue requirements for the programme. There are approximately 130,000 women in the target population for screening in the southern and western regions and BreastCheck is confident that the target date of April 2007 for the commencement of the roll out will be met.

I am committed to the roll out of the national cervical screening programme in line with international best practice. Following the publication of the international expert's report on the feasibility and implications of a national roll out, my Department undertook a consultative process with relevant professional and advocacy stakeholders. My Department will now discuss options for a national roll out of the programme with the Health Service Executive.

The Government's policy on radiation oncology is based on the report, "The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland". Recent developments in Cork and Galway have resulted in the provision of an additional five linear accelerators and the appointment of an additional five consultant radiation oncologists. Last July, I announced the Government's plan for a national network of radiation oncology services to be put in place by 2011 and commencing in 2008. The network will consist of four large centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway and two integrated satellite centres at Waterford Regional Hospital and Limerick Regional Hospital.

The Government considers that the best option in terms of improving geographic access for patients in the north-western area is to facilitate access for those patients to radiation oncology services as part of North/South co-operation on cancer. I have already met the Minister for Health for Northern Ireland, Mr. Shaun Woodward, MP, to discuss access by patients, mainly in the north west, to radiation oncology services at Belfast City Hospital. I will meet with him again shortly to further progress the Government's position on radiation oncology. Officials of my Department will also meet shortly with officials of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland.

The national cancer forum is currently finalising a new national cancer strategy. The strategy has been developed in consultation with major stakeholders, including professional and voluntary groups and the general public, and will have regard to the multi-faceted aspects of cancer control. The strategy will set out the key priorities for the development of cancer services over the coming years and will make recommendations on a balanced organisation of cancer services nationally, with defined roles for hospitals in the delivery of cancer care. I expect the national cancer forum to submit the new cancer strategy to me by the end of the year. On receipt, my Department will assess the policy implications, including costs, and I will then bring the new cancer strategy to Government.