Cancer services: A new National Cancer Strategy will be published by July of this year, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin has said.
The strategy "will make recommendations in relation to the organisation and national integration of cancer services", according to Mr Martin.
The Irish Times understands the strategy will use the Hollywood report on the development of radiotherapy oncology services as a template - though this will have political implications as some regional centres campaigning for additional services are unlikely to be satisfied.
It will advocate the creation of a "spine" of supra-regional cancer centres in Cork, Galway and one each for the north and south of Dublin. The decision to base the new strategy on the radiation oncology recommendations is a significant endorsement of the controversial Hollywood report.
It comes despite criticism by consumer groups in the south-east and mid-west and in the wake of differing medical opinion, on the future designation of cancer services, presented to the Oireachtas Committee on Health last month. Mr Gordon Watson, consultant surgeon at Waterford Regional Hospital, and Mr Kevin Moran, consultant surgeon at Letterkenny General Hospital, had challenged the evidence of Prof Donal Hollywood, professor of radiation oncology at Trinity College Dublin, and chairman of the radiotherapy review group.
Referring to the Hollywood report, the Minister for Health told Cancer 2004, the second annual conference of the St James's Hospital Cancer Strategy group last week: "I am fully committed to its implementation.
He added: "If we are to overcome the national deficit which currently exists in radiation oncology services, we require a national approach and not one that is fragmented and disjointed."
Outlining progress made to date, Prof Hollywood said the recent sanction of two radiation oncologists for Galway and a second post for Cork was significant. "The next essential piece in the jigsaw is the clarification of the exact location for the Dublin North and Dublin South radiotherapy services."
St Luke's Hospital, Dublin, current provider of radiotherapy services in Dublin and nationally, is scheduled to close.
St James's Hospital is seen as the likely location for a south Dublin unit, with the Mater Hospital the probable site for a new North Dublin facility.