Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the additional costs involved in moving the diagnostics and follow up clinics for mammogram and colonoscopy patients from a hospital (details supplied) in County Mayo. [27626/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the decision to cease oncology surgery at a hospital (details supplied) in County Mayo was reached in consultation with the surgeons involved or the Royal College of Surgeons; if not, if she will consult with the surgeons in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27627/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together.

The implementation of the National Cancer Control Programme is a major priority for me and for this Government. I fully support the appointment by the Health Service Executive (HSE) of Prof. Tom Keane as Interim National Cancer Control Director. The delivery of cancer services on a programmatic basis will serve to ensure equity of access to services and equality of patient outcome irrespective of geography. The decisions of the HSE in relation to four managed cancer control networks and eight cancer centres will be implemented on a managed and phased basis. The HSE plans to have completed 50% of the transition of services to the cancer centres by end 2008 and 80-90% by end 2009.

The HSE has designated University College Hospital Galway and Limerick Regional Hospital as the two cancer centres in the Managed Cancer Control Network for the HSE Western Region, which includes Mayo. The designation of cancer centres aims to ensure that patients receive the highest quality care while at the same time allowing local access to services, where appropriate. Where diagnosis and treatment planning is directed and managed by multi-disciplinary teams based at the cancer centres, then much of the treatment (other than surgery) can be delivered in local hospitals, such as Mayo General Hospital.

The National Cancer Control Strategy was developed by the National Cancer Forum, a multidisciplinary group of experts which was chaired by a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). A HSE Advisory Group on the Cancer Control Programme, which included representation from the RCSI, advised on the hospitals to be designated as cancer centres.

The specific question raised by the Deputy regarding the costs involved in moving services from Mayo General Hospital relates to the management and delivery of health, personal and 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 respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the matter raised.