Sinn Féin in Inishowen
is demanding that a satellite cancer centre in the
North West be immediately put on the North/South
health agenda.
The call was made yesterday following revelations
that the Republic's Health Minister Mary Harney and
her Northern counterpart, Michael McGimpsey have not
once discussed the long-standing proposal despite
the Assembly being 100 days in operation. Sinn
Féin's Donegal spokesperson, Cllr. Pádraig Mac
Lochlainn said the party has now formally written to
both ministers to have the matter put at the top of
their cross border agenda.
"We were astounded to learn that the issue has not
even featured in any discussions between both
ministers," said Cllr. MacLochlainn.
"This is despite their joint obligation to undertake
collaborative projects on a cross border basis to
the benefit of people on both sides of the border.
Given that the disparity in access to cancer service
provision is most acutely felt by people living in
the North West, it would have been expected that
this issue would be at the top of their agenda in
terms of North/South co-operation."
The Buncrana-based town and county councillor said a
satellite centre in Derry or Letterkenny would
prevent very ill patients being forced to undergo
the additional burden of repeated and prolonged
journeys to units in Belfast, Dublin, and Galway.
"It is intolerable that cancer patients are
subjected to these long journeys and prolonged stays
a long way from home when there are two local
hospitals, either Altnagelvin or Letterkenny, that
could house an oncology unit to meet the holistic
needs of cancer patients in this part of Ireland,"
he said.
"This provision is essential to redressing the
disparity in access to cancer service provision on
this island and our party have now requested, in
writing, from both ministers that they engage in
substantive discussions on the issue so as to
progress the development of a North West satellite
cancer centre as a matter of urgency." |
