Purple House cancer centre
Deputy Donnelly sought support for Purple House’s new premises and expanded cancer services in Bray. The Taoiseach said he was not familiar with the case but would ask staff to liaise with the Minister for Health.
I call Deputies Donnelly and Thomas Byrne on the understanding that anyone who gets in today will not get in for the rest of the week unless there is time.
Comment on this
My question is about Purple House, which is an amazing cancer support centre in Bray. Page 57 of the programme for Government states: "We will ensure appropriate care pathways are in place to improve cancer services." It goes on to refer to fantastic community-based services exactly like this. In short, the service has to leave the premises it is in. It has found a fantastic new premises, which will greatly expand cancer services provision for the community in north Wicklow. The Minister for Health has met Purple House representatives twice and promised that he would make the money available. They received a letter from the HSE today, which seemed to kick that promise into next year and it may or may not happen. I appreciate that the Taoiseach will not be able to answer directly. Will he ask his officials to look at this as a matter of urgency with a view to Purple House getting that funding so that it can secure the premises?