Cancer treatment and politics shouldn't have to mix, but in the case of the western seaboard there appears to be no choice.
Bureaucratic delays in recruiting staff means that the west's first radiation-treatment unit may not be able to treat patients until 2005, two years after its opening date next year.
Senior medical staff have confirmed that the radiation oncology unit, which is currently being built as part of the phase two development of University College Hospital Galway (UCHG), may lie idle for one, perhaps even two years after its completion in July 2003.
Health recruitment experts have stated that it can take up to 18 months to fill the highly-specialised medical posts and to allow a minimum of 10 months for the radiation equipment to be commissioned to required health and safety standards.
This means that the posts would have to be advertised now, with interviews following shortly after, if the deadline is to be reached.
However, the Department of Health has not authorised such spending this year by the Western Health Board and the board itself is already heavily in debt, with ward closures at UCHG predicted for this summer.
Also, no new beds have been approved for the service; medical staff are pressing for a minimum of 25 in-patient beds and have made it clear that hostel facilities will not be adequate for many of those requiring treatment.
Ironically, it was a Fianna Fáil election promise and subsequent political intervention by the former junior health minister, now Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, which ensured the construction of the radiation unit in the first place.
A cancer strategy document published in 1996 had not recommended that a unit be located in Galway even though there was a growing demand to treat patients who were (and still are) forced to travel to St Luke's in Dublin or Cork for treatment.
However, the unit was included in the phase two development at UCHG and in February, Mr Fahey told the Connacht Tribune that he wished to allay concerns that funding had not been made available for staffing.
"I have been assured by the secretary general of the Department [of Health and Children], Mr Michael Kelly, and Minister Micheál Martin that the resources for the consultants will be put in place when needed."
The key words are "when needed" and the dispute over this is compounded by the complex system of recruiting consultants.
Only when the Department of Finance approves a submission from the Department of Health can the funding be approved for the Western Health Board.
This will then be followed by exchanges between the Department of Health, the Department of Finance and the Western Health Board before the posts can be referred to Comhairle na nOispidéal.
Once the posts are approved by the council, there will be another communication with the health board before the details are sent to the Local Appointments Commission.
Many of the medical experts trained for such positions are in their late 30s and early 40s, who may be living abroad or in another part of the State, and who may have children in school. This means that their availability can be governed by school terms and other factors.
Yet even as the bricks are laid for the unit, staff are required to monitor its development and to be available for supervising installation and commissioning of the highly-technical equipment.
Medical experts say that accurate commissioning of the equipment is vital as incorrect doses of radiation can kill.
Fianna Fáil senator Ms Margaret Cox queried the delays at health board level and was informed by the chief executive officer, Dr Sheelah Ryan, that a national radiotherapy report was expected this month which would identify the posts required.
However, it is understood that this report was due to have been published last November.
Ms Cox says she is prepared to wait for that report's publication if it is not later than late May or early June as "an immediate priority". However, she admitted to being "frightened that we will end up with an empty chamber and no staff".
Mr Fahey told The Irish Times that following discussions he had had with Mr Martin, he was "fully confident" that the necessary staffing would be in place to open the unit on its completion.