After a two hour special meeting this evening the HSE board has said it will set up a committee to finalise terms of reference for an independent review of how the Portlaoise Hospital cancer crisis has been managed.
Earlier the Interim Director of the Cancer Control Programme, Professor Tom Keane, said the recent controversies in women's cancer care have eroded the confidence of patients.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One programme, Prof Keane said it is vital that that confidence is rebuilt and this will be one of the major jobs of the Cancer Control Programme.
Prof Keane described the Government's cancer care policy as 'excellent' and said it would be his brief to implement it.
He said significant medical leadership would be required for the challenge.
Prof Keane said cancer diagnosis is problematic even in the best centres.
On the issue of campaigns to retain cancer services at regional hospitals, Mr Keane said people needed to understand that only critical initial diagnosis and treatment was being withdrawn from these hospitals.
He added that once patients had initial treatment at centres of excellence, all ongoing care could be delivered in the local community.
He said that in terms of cancer mortality, Ireland is in the lower half of the league table for most cancers, so there is clearly room for improvement.
Prof Keane has arrived to Ireland from Canada where cancer treatment services are said to be second to none.
Separately, more women are expected to attend the Cuisle Centre in Portlaoise this evening to review breast cancer results.
The women will attend a special clinic, which will begin at 7pm.
On Saturday, 82 women attended an emergency clinic after a review of ultrasounds at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.
