Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

It is a pity Deputy McGinley did not bring back some chocolates from Switzerland. It might have sweetened the Minister, ensuring more significant announcements on cancer services today.

The alleged objective of the reform of cancer services is to provide an improved level of service delivery and the successful treatment of cancer patients. There is no detail, however, on how this will be delivered. It will be 2015 when radiotherapy services will be available in the four proposed regional networks. Multi-disciplinary teams will be set up but no timescales or budgets for their roll-out have been given, if we are to believe the Minister for Health and Children.

There will be no cancer services north of the line between Galway and Dublin, meaning half the country will be ignored in the provision of cancer services. It is not acceptable that in a country supposed to be the second richest in Europe, basic cancer services cannot be provided to people in the north west and that they must travel across the country to access radiotherapy services. The only commitment in today's announcement is the withdrawal of services from several hospitals, including those at Roscommon County Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital. It will result in patients from these areas having to make arduous journeys to access radiotherapy services.

The pipe dream is that somewhere down the road a better level of service will be provided. Cancer rates have been predicted to double in the next 14 years but the delivery of services remains in the Dark Ages. The ethos behind today's announcement is about cost-savings and not improving services. I agree with the objective of centres of excellence that will ensure one fifth more of cancer patients will survive. However, as a Member from the west I cannot understand how the Minister will deliver on this when she has failed to deliver on BreastCheck. Women in the west and north west will have to wait until the end of 2009 for the full roll-out of BreastCheck. Seven years ago County Roscommon had cervical cancer screening services. They were withdrawn because a national programme was to be rolled out. Seven years later, we are still waiting for it. There is no national programme for prostate or bowel cancer screening.

I am appalled at what has occurred at Barringtons Hospital. Some 19 months ago, concerns were raised about its services. Women in the west and north west have no other choice but to go into the unregulated private health care system because a public service is not available to them. Will there be another disclosure regarding screening services provided by private operators in the west and north west? If the Minister is to deliver on the provision of services, she must retain those services already in place until the promised super service is in place.

The provision of transport will be a critical element to these new centres of excellence. During the Minister's tenure, transport provision to and from treatment for cancer patients, has been reduced in the west and north west. I know of a young woman in the advanced stages of breast cancer who must pay €200 every time she travels to Galway by taxi for treatment because a public transport service is not available. As she has private health insurance, she is ignored by the HSE regarding support for transport costs. Many oncology patients have had transport services for treatment withdrawn. It is hard to explain to people how they will have a better service when existing services are being withdrawn by the HSE.

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