Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. Overall it is very disappointing that there has been so much slippage in what was regarded as the jewel in the crown of the health service. A number of years ago, we seemed to be taking the right approach regarding the cancer strategy and governance of that, the political priority and the clear decisionmaking around it. It is worrying that the Irish Cancer Society has reported to us the serious difficulties. Where do the problems actually lie? In this committee, we are conscious of the overarching dysfunction within the health service and big-ticket items like the lack of e-health, of workforce planning, of integrated care and of access and the fact that cost is a barrier. They are the big planks of Sláintecare and we are pursuing them. They have a big impact on cancer services as well as mental health services, as I said last night, and right across the board. Leaving those aside, if that is possible, for a moment, within cancer services and the strategy, are there particular problems either in relation to governance of the strategy or resources or decisionmaking? Are there inherent problems within cancer services that need to be addressed?