A breast cancer specialist has criticised delays in establishing centres of excellence providing cancer services.
Two years ago, Prof Niall O'Higgins of UCD co-authored a report which said Ireland's high level of breast cancer mortality could be reduced by one-fifth if these regional centres were established.
"I'm bound to say that since this report was issued two years ago, progress has been slow, and disappointingly slow," he said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland yesterday.
"It is fair to say that none of the units has yet been properly or fully established, though some areas are a little bit more advanced in their planning than others."
He said there were some local difficulties which delayed implementation but this did not fully explain the problem.
"If the evidence is there and if the wherewithal is there to rectify the situation, the blame must fairly and squarely lie on the shoulders of those who know what's right (and) having the ability and the financial capability to rectify it, choose to ignore it," he said. Funds were not an issue when the report was issued but they may be a problem now. "They certainly are not forthcoming," Prof O'Higgins said.
However, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, said it was not true to say that the funds were not available. "I can make an absolute commitment here that the funding is in place and will be in place for the future development of these centres of excellence," Progress had been slow in 2001 because of the restructuring needed to implement the plan, he said.
