Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 118: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has carried out a cost benefit analysis of the proposal to build private hospitals in the grounds of public hospitals. [31274/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 131: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will seek a full market price for lands made available for the construction of private hospitals on the grounds of public hospitals. [31302/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has carried out an estimate of the impact on the public elective throughput, the accident and emergency throughput, and the financial resources of public hospitals of closing off access to private patients to public hospitals on campuses where private hospitals are developed. [31303/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to set specific requirements in respect of the specialties that must be provided in private hospitals built on the grounds of public hospitals. [31304/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 131 to 133, inclusive, together.

The Government is committed to exploring fully the scope for the private sector to provide additional capacity. The health strategy recognises that additional capacity will be provided in the future by a combination of public and private providers.

In July this year, my Department issued a policy direction to the Health Service Executive which is aimed at freeing up additional beds for public patients in public hospitals through the development of private hospital facilities on public hospital sites. The initiative will provide up to 1,000 additional beds for public patients over the next five years.

No patients will be excluded from public hospitals by virtue of this initiative and the services of private hospitals will have to be available for purchase, if required, on behalf of public patients.

Attached to the policy direction was an assessment framework which the HSE has been requested to follow in regard to proposals to locate private hospital facilities on public hospital sites. It requires that the evaluation should have regard to a detailed assessment of need, and existing and planned capacity on a particular site and within the relevant region. It should also provide for a rigorous value for money assessment of any proposal which would take account of the value of the public site and the cost of any tax expenditure. In addition, it will make clear the need for adherence to public procurement law and best practice.

The Health Service Executive, HSE, has been asked to begin to develop an implementation plan which will identify where these private facilities might be located and to prioritise proposals with reference to the public hospitals' requirement for additional bed capacity.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when the national radiation oncology co-ordinating group will provide advice to the Health Service Executive on solutions regarding designated transport for patients. [31276/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 120: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to provide designated funding to ensure equal access to radiotherapy for all cancer patients requiring same. [31277/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether delays in the provision of radiotherapy treatment will halve survival rates for cancer patients; and the priority she will give to designated nationwide transport. [31278/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 123: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the fact that 21% of cancer patients here are receiving radiotherapy when the European uptake is 60%; and her plans to fast track the provision of radiotherapy facilities. [31280/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 127: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which Waterford Regional Hospital should proceed with its proposal for the development of radiotherapy services in view of her commitment to significantly develop radiotherapy services earlier than 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31284/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 to 121, inclusive, 123 and 127 together.

The Government is committed to making the full range of cancer services available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland in accordance with best international practice.

In 2004, approval was granted for €15 million full-year funding to open the new radiotherapy department in Galway and to expand capacity in Cork. The new radiation oncology department at University College Hospital, Galway, commenced treatments in March 2005. In Cork University Hospital, the third linear accelerator commenced treatments in March 2005 and the fourth linear accelerator commenced treatment on 10 October 2005.

The Government agrees that a major programme is now required to rapidly develop clinical radiation oncology treatment services to modern standards. In this regard, 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. This will mean an investment in additional capacity to the equivalent of 23 additional linear accelerators. The capital investment involved will be approximately €480 million, with most of it funded through PPP over the period to 2011. Indicative revenue costs which will not arise until 2008 are of the order of €72 million.

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 of Northern Ireland, Mr. Shaun Woodward, MP, to discuss access by patients mainly in the north west to radiation oncology services at Belfast City Hospital. This state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to open in March 2006. I will be meeting again with Minister Woodward to further progress the Government's position on radiation oncology. Officials of my Department will also be meeting shortly with officials from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland.

As I have previously indicated to the House, I consider that appropriate transport arrangements for patients requiring radiotherapy should be made available, where necessary, by the Health Service Executive, HSE. My Department raised this matter with the HSE last May to ensure that appropriate transport arrangements are put in place on a national basis for patients who are required to travel to obtain radiotherapy. Transport solutions are already a feature of the current provision of radiation oncology services and will form part of the planning and implementation of the new national plan, given the significant increase in capacity involved.

The national radiation oncology co-ordinating group, NROCG, provides advice to my Department and the HSE on radiotherapy. In light of the above and the fact that under the Health Act 2004, the HSE has responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services, the NROCG does not intend to prepare a specific report on transport. My Department has asked the HSE to advise the Deputy directly in regard to current and proposed transport arrangements for oncology patients nationally.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the proposals of the Health Service Executive to seek tenders or expressions of interest to develop a private radiotherapy facility at Waterford Regional Hospital. [31279/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.