A new plan, announce by the Health Service Executive, sees eight hospitals in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway becoming the major specialist cancer centres.
But it also involves the immediate closure of cancer services at 13 other hospitals around the country.
The new specialist centres in Dublin will be at Beaumont, the Mater, St James’ and St Vincent’s Hospitals.
The other centres will be located at Waterford Regional Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University College Hospital Galway and the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
A limited outreach service will be provided by University College Hospital Galway to patients in Letterkenny.
The centres where symptomatic breast services and surgery is being ended with immediate effect are at St Michael’s and St Columcille’s in Dublin, Naas General, Tullamore General, Mallow General, Louth County, Cavan General, Our Lady’s in Navan, the Mid Western Regional in Nenagh, Ennis General, Roscommon County, Portiuncula in Galway and the Mercy Hospital in Cork.
The Irish Nurses Organisation has welcomed the announcement on cancer service development. It says that it hopes today’s announcement will herald a new beginning for cancer services in Ireland.