5. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [11881/26]

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The oncology unit for St. Luke's Hospital is currently offsite at UPMC, and has been for almost six years. Since the Covid pandemic, it moved there and never moved back. Providing a safe and efficient service to the oncology patients is the most important part of the work in the oncology day ward. St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny treats patients from Carlow, Kilkenny and parts of Laois and Tipperary but being offsite for many years has had a number of implications, such as lack of quick access to labs, pharmacy, charts and a resus team in the emergency department. These are causing delays daily in the unit. Lately, there has been talk of delays for oncology patients getting started on systemic anti-cancer treatment in both Kilkenny and University Hospital Waterford. I note that the UHW oncology day ward had been in UPMC Whitfield for six years and just moved back to UHW two weeks ago. Being off-site impacts the unit through delays in chemotherapy delivery labs and, in turn, impacts capacity in the day ward, and so impacts the patients. We need to get back on-site to St. Luke's to offer a safer and more efficient service. Over €1.3 million per annum is paid to UPMC in rent for the oncology unit to be off-site. Surely this money could be put towards a new oncology unit on-site at St. Luke's. Will the Taoiseach prioritise this with the HSE and the hospital management?

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We have to wait for it to come back onsite.

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We are waiting for the Dolmen Wing as well, which will free up other space.

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Is that an apology?

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