Government extends debate on cancer debacle

The Government was today forced to extend a Dáil debate on cancer care services amid mounting Opposition anger over the botched diagnoses of at least seven women.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore accused the Taoiseach of giving a "cowardly" reply to his questions and claimed he was trying to blame everybody else except the Government.

Opening the official debate, Minister for Health Mary Harney offered an unreserved apology to the women who were wrongly given the all-clear by Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

"Today is a day when patient safety should come before hospitals, before constituencies, before the professions and also before the cynicism and defeatism about achieving top class quality-assured health services," she said.

A review by consultant radiologist Dr Ann O'Doherty will be completed this week and published by the end of November.

A helpline is also being operated by the Portlaoise hospital for people who need further information.

A total of 3,026 mammograms were reviewed and seven of these patients were subsequently diagnosed with cancer.

A further six women are being tested this week.

Fine Gael Enda Kenny earlier told the Dáil that the women of Ireland deserved more than 80 minutes to debate the issue.

Labour health spokeswoman Jan O'Suillivan added: "We must have more time or this parliament will have lost all relevance to the people of Ireland."

Sinn Féin's Caoimhghin O'Caolain complained that 60% of all parliamentary questions to the Health Minister were being "kicked to touch" to the Health Service Executive.

Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt then agreed to extend the time to take statements and to hold a later questions-and-answers period with Harney.

Earlier, Mr Gilmore accused Mr Ahern of giving a "scandalous, cowardly reply" to his questions on the issue.

He added: "The buck stops somewhere. My view is that it stops with the Government. You are a great man to come here and to cast aspersions on people who are working in the health service.

"The one thing that you didn't do was stand up for the responsibility that you and your Government have.

"How much longer do you need to put our health service right after 10 years. You have now served a probationary period of over ten years and it is in a mess."

Mr Ahern claimed there were no BreastCheck available when he first became Taoiseach in 1997.

"I reject the position that you come and just castigate the health service that we put in place and is a good health service.

He added: "I am not here to answer on the consultants of this country when they are in their operating theatres. We provide modern facilities to very well paid people in this country, the vast majority of them have far more excessive salaries than me."