Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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235. To ask the Minister for Health when proton beam therapy will be available in hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34199/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Last year 22 patients were referred for proton beam therapy in treatment centres abroad under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. This represents an extremely small proportion of Irish patients who are receiving radiotherapy.

The infrastructure and equipment required for proton beam therapy is hugely expensive and provision of such a facility in Ireland for the number of patients involved is not practical at this time.

The National Cancer Control Programme will continue to monitor the number of Irish patients being referred overseas for proton beam therapy, as well as developments in technology that may impact on the economic viability of this treatment.