Fine Gael TD Mr Enda Kenny ail Deputy has protested at a proposal to close the breast cancer screening unit at Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar.
Mr Kenny said an advisory group appointed by the Minister for Health to make recommendations to the National Cancer Forum had indicated the unit should be shut and that women from Mayo could be examined and treated in Galway.
Mr Kenny said the advisory group, chaired by Prof Niall O'Higgins, last week met Western Health Board officials and medical consultants in Galway.
He said: "Their recommendation continues to be that Castlebar unit should be phased out and closed. This is not based on any lack of medical or professional standards in Mayo General Hospital.
"I am now calling on the Western Health Board and on all Mayo Fianna Fail representatives, who have done nothing whatsoever about this matter except accuse me of scaremongering, to join my call on the Minister to reverse this recommendation immediately.
"I understand that at a meeting last week, Prof O'Higgins said he saw no difficulty in having Mayo women bussed to Galway for examination and/or treatment. It is perfectly obvious that Prof O'Higgins, based in Dublin, has no understanding of the geographical size of Co Mayo or the condition of many of its roads. Nor indeed does he appear to accept the professional standards of medical treatment given to over 50 cases this year alone by a highly committed team of staff members built up over a number of years.
"This recommendation will, if implemented, take away a vital service to the women of Mayo and I am not prepared to let this happen."