Radiotherapy services will be in place by 2010 in the public health system, Minister for Health Mary Harney said in the Dáil following Opposition criticism that the roll-out of such services would be delayed until 2015.
Ms Harney said she had met officials from her department and the Health Service Executive and she had been "assured by the HSE that we will have the capacity we require in the public system by 2010".
The Minister was speaking during a private members' debate on the provision of cancer services introduced by Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly, who said that there had been "nothing but stagnation in respect of the radiotherapy plan announced only two years ago".
Dr Reilly, in his first Dáil debate as the party's health spokesman, said: "There is nothing but chaos in the health service. Promises have been broken, patients are in distress, families have become disillusioned and staff morale has reached an all-time low."
The Dublin North TD continued: "Given that 60 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer will be obliged to avail of radiotherapy during the course of their treatment, and that international best practice for ensuring best outcomes states that patients should not have to wait any longer than six weeks for such treatment, it is not just shameful that people must wait up to six months for therapy, but in a country as wealthy as ours it is morally reprehensible."
Brian O'Shea (Lab, Waterford) expressed concern about the way the plan to introduce centres of excellence was being put in place. "One must question the wisdom of closing hospital services within a period of 90 days when the programme has not been implemented," he said. "I am concerned about a shortfall in the short to medium term, meaning the service will be worse in that time. It is hard to be confident that transferring staff and related operations will be done effectively, efficiently and quickly . . ."
