Waterford councillors want Martin to release radiotherapy report

HEALTH Minister, Mícheál Martin, is coming under more pressure to release a long-awaited report into the country’s radiotherapy services. City leaders in Waterford have threatened to bring their protest over the lack of cancer facilities in the region to the steps of Dáil Éireann.

City councillors have again threatened such a move in an effort to get Mr Martin, to meet with the group and reveal the long-awaited Expert Review Group report into radiotherapy services. A planned meeting a fortnight ago was cancelled because of the Minister’s commitments to SARS and the public health doctors dispute.

At the city council meeting on Monday night, it emerged that news of a rescheduled meeting with the minister will be received later this week. Many of the city’s representatives felt this was just not good enough. Workers Party councillor, John Hannigan, said it was time to consider the picket once more. “I believe the Minister already knows the outcome of the report commissioned by him on the need for radiotherapy services nationwide and that Waterford is not going to get those facilities.

“He should now come out and tell the 15 councillors who represent the people of Waterford where we stand. It is unfair for those who have been campaigning for the radiotherapy facilities and who have been putting time and effort into it. I also believe that the councillors should go and protest outside the Dáil. That was agreed by the councilors and it never happened.”

The Expert Review Group’s report on the best locations for radiotherapy facilities nationwide has already gone to print, the city council has heard. Its members now want a copy of that report. Senator Maurice Cummins said they should have this report, before the meeting. “We are being treated in an appalling manner. We should have copies of this report before the meeting. We should examine it and have a proper meeting with the Minister,” he said.

Mr Martin said he would be examining the Expert Review Group report in full and would take its recommendations on board. Even if the report did not signal that such facilities should be based in Waterford, the Minister said he would use the report as a guide, rather than a rigid plan.