Niall Blaney (Donegal North East, IND-FF)
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Question 257: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress which has been made to date in 2005 in her discussions with the North regarding sharing radiation oncology facilities with Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35522/05]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 295: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Minister for Health regarding the provision of radiotherapy for cancer patients from the north west and Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35655/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 295 together.

I had a very positive meeting last Tuesday with the Minister for Health for Northern Ireland, Mr. Shaun Woodward, MP, during which we agreed that the new Belfast Cancer Centre, which is to open next March, will treat patients from Donegal. Details of the arrangements will be finalised in discussions involving the Health Service Executive, Belfast City Hospital and our respective Departments. These discussions will involve assessment of the specific radiotherapy needs of cancer patients in Donegal and the development of clinical treatment protocols, including appropriate transport arrangements, to ensure best patient care. Discussions will also be necessary on the funding arrangements involving the hospital and the Health Service Executive.

This initiative is a further and very practical example of North-South co-operation on health and will be of significant benefit to patients who will be treated at what I consider to be one of the best cancer facilities in Europe. This agreement also progresses the Government's plan on radiotherapy which I announced last July. Both the Minister, Mr. Woodward, and I are committed to developing additional co-operative initiatives for the benefit of our respective health services.

As regards access to cancer patients in other Border counties, I am sure the Deputies will appreciate that we need to ensure that access by Donegal patients to the Belfast services is working effectively and is properly grounded in effective clinical referral protocols involving the relevant clinicians both North and South. This is essential before I could realistically consider the question of additional access. Such access will critically depend on capacity at the Belfast centre and as the Deputies are aware, the first priority of the Belfast Cancer Centre is to the population in Northern Ireland.