FF TDs disagree over cancer care

JUNIOR Health Minister Tim O’Malley said public cancer patients will get treatment at a new private hospital in Waterford despite his boss Micheál Martin saying last week there is no money available for such services.

Mr O’Malley made his claims on foot of a deal which will see cancer patients in his native Limerick get treatment in private facilities from September of next year despite a Government commitment to developing centres of excellence for cancer care exclusively in Galway, Dublin and Cork.

The PD minister said an arrangement has been made between the Mid Western Health Board and a new private radiotherapy hospital in Limerick to provide public patients with cover.

He believes a similar deal can be struck in Waterford to cater for the 500 patients in the region who travel annually to Dublin and Cork for treatment.

“We have signed a deal to provide cancer care in Limerick using money from the Limerick Trust Fund. Public patients will be treated free in the mid-Western region at the private hospital under the deal with the Mater Hospital,” he said.

His comments came as the campaign for radiotherapy in Waterford continues. The promoters of a private, €45 million hospital say they will provide such a service to public and private patients at a planned hospital in Butlerstown North.

Health Minister Micheál Martin has said his department has not committed any revenue to the provision of radiotherapy services in private hospitals.