COUNCILLORS are seeking an “urgent meeting” with Taoiseach Micheál Martin to request the reinstatement of a specialist cancer treatment facility in Cork University Hospital (CUH).

They were joined by patient advocates and consultants from CUH in County Hall this week, marking the latest step in a campaign to get the stem cell transplant unit to return almost two decades since it ceased operation.

Bandon farmer and founder of the Irish South Support Group, Dermot O’Leary who is living with multiple myeloma, told The Southern Star that treatment is now only provided in St James’ Hospital in Dublin or University Galway Hospital. So, following his diagnosis in 2015 he was forced to travel to Galway for a stem cell transplant.

Ireland South Support Group, CUH consultants and Mags McCarthy, whose father was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2021, have started to see some progress since joining forces towards the end of the summer.

Dr Vitaliy Mykytiv, a consultant haematologist and clinical director for diagnostics and therapeutics at CUH, and Professor Ibrahim Yakoub Agha, the president of European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, spoke about the medical benefits of a unit in Cork.

Dermot said the group received cross-party support and managed to highlight the issue to over 50 TDs. “There were a lot of good questions. We got their interest all right,” he said.

The issue made it to the council chamber after Dermot’s partner’s father Joe O’Donovan from Skibbereen reached out to Cork County Mayor Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF).

The Mayor put forward a motion looking for support to write to the HSE and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to ask for the reinstatement of the stem cell treatment unit in CUH. This was later amended to include a request for an “urgent meeting” with the Taoiseach following a proposal by Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind), who added that “he is a Cork Taoiseach after all”.

Cllr John Collins (Ind Ire) called on all parties to support the motion, saying that “this is beyond politics”. He said that was difficult to process, especially after hearing from Ann Marie O’Mahony, a Castletownshend woman who is also living with myeloma, that had to travel almost 300km to access the services in Galway.

Dermot said the group hopes to meet with the Oireachtas Committee on Health and the Taoiseach in the near future in hopes of compelling them to approach the HSE.

A spokesperson for HSE South West acknowledged the importance of timely access to the highly specialised services, stating that the average interval from referral to stem cell transplantation is under six months.

The spokesperson added: “HSE South West is considering proposals for a Stem Cell Tissue Establishment and Advanced Cellular Therapies Unit at CUH, which would support the delivery of stem cell transplantation and future cellular therapies closer to home for patients across the South West.”

“While the project is not included in the current approved HSE Capital Plan 2026-2030 it remains under consideration through the established capital planning and approval processes.”

“Accordingly, any future progression of the project is subject to the necessary appraisal, approval, budgetary and capital funding processes.

“A project team will then be established to advance the development of the facility, which remains a potential strategic priority for the future development of cancer and haematology services in the region.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.