Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As the Chairman is going to cut me off, I have one last question.

What we have heard is very revealing. For the committee, it is glaringly obvious and in flashing lights that we will have to follow up on this issue with the Department. To break it down into two simple things, there is the funding issue - in fairness, Dr. Morrissey has been very diplomatic - and also an integrated process issue. There is a process issue along the entire spectrum of the health system when it comes to research. The issue has been isolated here in this instance as it pertains to cancer research. The committee should come back to it.

I know Ms Power and do not want to leave without asking her a question about her statement which was frank and direct, which is what I always expect from her. I was very much taken by what she said about underfunding and underperformance. She gave various statistics to outline the position at the end of 2018. Specifically, she said the HSE's 2019 service plan explicitly stated the allocation for the National Cancer Control Programme, NCCP, would not enable the service to match referrals in services such as radiotherapy, rapid access clinics and diagnostics. Will she elaborate on what she said as it is deeply concerning, although I was aware of it? Will she elaborate on the scale involved? Are there geographical issues involved? Are there other issues about which we need to know? How much information does she have and how deep are the statistics she has available?