Parties seek publication of cancer report

Opposition parties have demanded the early publication of a report on cancer services in the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

The call came ahead of a Dáil vote this evening on a Labour Party motion of no-confidence in the Minister for Health, Mary Harney over the State's cancer care services. Ms Harney has called on the Opposition to combine with the Government in a joint effort to reform cancer services.

Rejecting calls for her resignation, she last night called on the leaders of the Opposition to "consider a bipartisan approach on cancer, just cancer. I think our citizens deserve that we do just that".

The debate resumes this afternoon. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern; the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, and Green Party leader John Gormley are all due to speak in Ms Harney's defence.

In the Dáil this morning, Mr Ahern confirmed that a review of cancer care at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise had to be legally reviewed before publication. Failures in Portlaoise resulted in the misdiagnoses of nine women, who were later found to have breast cancer.

The findings of the Portlaoise cancer cases' review by radiologist Ann O'Doherty will not be revealed during today's Dáil debate, despite Fine Gael's demand that it should be shared with them.

"You committed yourself and she [Mary Harney] committed herself to publishing this report. Why isn't that happening for the benefit of everybody?" asked Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.

"She said here last night she's not entitled to see the report. What kind of communication is that in the interests of patients and their sensitivity and the trauma they have gone through?"

Mr Ahern responded: " In all of these reports when a report is prepared, professionally prepared in this way, and there are names and people's careers are mentioned you needed legal clearance on those issues first.

"Everybody has an interest in coming to the bottom of what happened in this and I think it is important we see that report in time," Mr Ahern added.

Labour's health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan said she was "seriously concerned" that Mr Ahern's comments suggest the report may not be published by the end of this week as promised by the Taoiseach in Dáil earlier this month.

"The Taoiseach told the Dáil on November 6th that the report would be completed that week and gave an unqualified undertaking that 'the full report will be published by the end of November'", Ms O'Sullivan said.

"I hope that we are not going to now see a repeat of the Leas Cross situation where there was a delay of more than six months between the receipt of the report and its publication by the HSE. The report from Dr O'Doherty is so important that a similar delay would be quite intolerable."

Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt has warned Fianna Fáil TDs that they must support Ms Harney in tonight's vote or face expulsion from the party.

The Labour motion was supported by both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin. "It is our job to hold the Minister and the HSE to account," Labour's health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan said.

In the Dáil yesterday, the Opposition seized on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's suggestion that some Fine Gael and Labour TDs would vote for Minister Harney "if there was a free vote". Urging Mr Ahern to allow one, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said Fianna Fáil TDs would not support Ms Harney if they were given the choice.

Fianna Fáil TD Ned O'Keeffe refused to reveal his voting intentions last night, though his request to speak in the debate has been rejected by the Government.

A counter motion supporting Ms Harney was drafted at yesterday's weekly Cabinet meeting.

This evening it also emerged that Independent Dublin TD Finian McGrath has confirmed that he would be voting in favour of Ms Harney during tonight's confidence motion.

He said that after widespread consultation and a "difficult" few days, he had decided to stay in and push his health agenda. He blamed the cancer care crisis on senior health service management and not Ms Harney.

"We need reform and investment in our Health Service," he said. "I am satisfied that this work has begun and will be developed further."

Mr McGrath held a series of meetings with Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt over the matter and said he would be meeting with the Health Minister next week to discuss healthcare reform.