SINN Féin will tonight
host a public meeting to demand the delivery of a
promised cross-border radiotherapy unit in Derry for
cancer patients on both sides of the border.
Deputy Pearse Doherty welcomed a statement from the
Government in Dublin that it remained committed to
the funding of the Altnegelvin facility. He has now
urged direct face-to-face talks with Minister
Michael McGimpsey who has claimed there is not
enough money in his budget to run the facility once
built.
“Because of the unique nature of the Stormont
executive, each Minister has authority over the
funding of their own Department.
“The Department of Health in the North was the only
department not affected by Tory Government cuts;
indeed his Department receives 50% of the entire
block budget for the North," said Deputy Doherty.
Tonight's meeting will be held in the Gasyard
Centre, Lecky Road, Derry, at 7.30pm and will be
attended by Cllr Padráig MacLochlainn, Pearse
Doherty TD, Martina Anderson MLA and cancer support
groups and services from both sides of the border.
Meanwhile, Betty Holmes, spokeswoman of the Donegal
Action for Cancer Care group, said: “While I do not
believe the case has been made as to why the
radiotherapy unit has to be located at Altnagelvin
it would be a major concern to us if there was a
possibility of no cancer unit at all here.
“We are totally committed to the needs of cancer
patients and we do not believe that politics should
come into it but of course it always does.”
She added: “Several months ago Michael McGimpsey
started talking about there being no money for the
building of the unit and then money was found.
Perhaps he is playing politics again here and hoping
the money will be forthcoming.”
Ms Holmes said she was still waiting for someone to
tell her why the new unit had to be sited in Derry
and not in Letterkenny.
“We all know that where the initial funding goes,
money follows so there is a danger that once the
unit is set up in Derry that other services follow
and Letterkenny becomes a community hospital.”
Deputy Doherty added: “This new facility will make a
dramatic impact on the lives of cancer sufferers as
it will mean that the vast majority of patients will
be able to receive radiotherapy treatment within one
hour travelling distance of their homes.
“This includes patients from Donegal who previously
faced long and debilitating journeys to either
Belfast or Dublin in order to receive vital
treatment." (Additional copy:
Inishowen Independent) |
