The radiotherapy bus, known as the "cancer bus", provides a daily service for patients travelling from Sligo to Galway University Hospital for radiotherapy treatment. The current bus is not fit for purpose as there is no wheelchair access and no toilet facility. Wheelchair access goes without saying, really. It is a bus providing a service for people who are ill and should surely have wheelchair access. Many patients require the urgent or frequent use of a toilet because of the nature of their illness. The bus has designated stops at service stations but sometimes a driver has no choice but to pull over on the side of the road. There is clearly a huge lack of dignity for these people who are at their most vulnerable while undergoing cancer treatment. It is an unacceptable way to treat people in this day and age. I add that the radiotherapy bus is a fantastic service. I have spoken to many people who have used the bus and they cannot speak highly enough of the service and sense of camaraderie and support provided by their fellow patients while travelling to and back from Galway. However, the need for a new bus was brought up time and time again during last year's general election campaign. I was assured by both the HSE and the Minister that a new bus with wheelchair access and a toilet would be provided this year. A working group was set up locally in March of this year to advance the purchase of a bus. However, we are still no further along. Every time I ring the stakeholders, they say they are working on it. Over the weeks and months, they have said it is imminent but no bus is here now. The current bus was secured back in 2011 through fundraising and is still funded by local charities. I thank them for their dedication and hard work on this. However, with the current cost of living many charities are finding it harder and harder to keep raising funds for vital services. Many people believe that if patients in the north west have to travel to Galway for treatment, the HSE should be providing the bus service. That is a simple and clear statement. It is time for the HSE and whoever else is involved to provide 100% funding or matched funding for this vital oncology service. I ask the Minister of State where is the funding for the new Sligo to Galway radiotherapy service and why there is such a delay in providing it.

Sentiment score: 0.01

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I am happy that more than 80% of the funding required for the bus has been secured. I really thank the local charity for raising €50,000 through fundraising efforts. This has gone on far too long. The Department is committing to ongoing engagement with the HSE and partners to find a solution that works for patients. This is going on for at least nine months. What has happened in the previous nine months has been nothing but passing the buck from one Department to the other when there is loads of money in this country. These people - patients - deserve the best possible service in their time of need. I want to the Minister of State to go back to the Department and ensure that whoever is dealing with this bangs heads together and get a resolution as soon as possible. The people who contacted me have been very patient. I have been very patient. However, the patients who need this are putting up with a bus that is substandard. I thank the Minister of State for her reply and for coming in here today. If there is not a resolution for this in the next few weeks, we have to have a meeting with all the stakeholders, in Sligo or in Dublin, to get this situation resolved. It is simply not good enough. It is obvious that one Department is passing it on to the other, and the patients who absolutely need this vital service are going without it. I thank the Minister of State for her reply.

Sentiment score: 0.27