Harney defends radiotherapy plan

Minister for Health Mary Harney has defended her decision not to establish a "satellite" radiotherapy centre in the northwest, saying that "hopefully" patients from the region would be able to get treatment in Belfast from next year.

However, she acknowledged that negotiations with the Northern Irish department of health on the idea had yet to take place. The €400 million national radiotherapy plan, announced by the Minister on Monday, involves the development of four centres of excellence in Dublin, Cork and Galway, as well as "satellite" cancer-treatment centres in Waterford and Limerick.

The Donegal Action for Cancer Care group expressed disappointment that there would be no centre for the northwest. It said Belfast was 150 miles away from the west of the county.

Noelle Duddy, spokeswoman for Donegal Action for Cancer Care, said "the centralisation of this service is not in the best interests of patients here".

Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday, Ms Harney said she shared the concerns of campaigners in the region. "That is why in the decision announced yesterday in the first instance patients from Donegal, hopefully, can be treated in Belfast."

She agreed there had been no firm announcement on the idea.

"Of course there's been no announcement because we have to have discussions. It is a different health jurisdiction.

"In my first meeting with the new minister in Belfast, Seán Woodward, I put this very issue of cancer treatment for patients in the Border counties on the agenda, and he was well disposed to having agreements reached between the authorities in Northern Ireland and ourselves."

The new cancer treatment centre in Belfast City Hospital is due to open in the spring. The Minister said she "hoped" a satellite centre would eventually be established "in the northwest, linked into Belfast".

The Northern Ireland department of health has described as "very premature" Ms Harney's assertion that cancer patients from the northwest would be able to attend Belfast City Hospital for radiotherapy treatment from next spring.A spokesperson for the Northern Irish department of health told The Irish Times: "It is very premature to discuss the provision of radiotherapy services for people from Donegal in Belfast City Hospital.

"These are very early days, and officials are only beginning to explore these suggestions. But they are willing to look at what's possible and what is mutually advantageous."