Ms Rachel Morrogh:

The Deputy said there is a myth people who are not well off do not get timely access to care. Our view in the Irish Cancer Society is underscored by the findings of the report and it is also our experience that people who are less well off are not getting timely access to care. We see that in particular in the case of radiology waiting times. There are 150,000 people who have been waiting longer than three months for a radiology appointment. Radiology is a key diagnostic tool when it comes to cancer. For those with private health insurance, the waiting times, if there are any, are much lower, so there is a disparity when it comes to people who can afford private health insurance and those who cannot. That is an inequity and it means timely care is not provided for those people who, in addition, do not have a medical team advocating for them because they do not have a diagnosis. They are sitting on radiotherapy-----