Ms Averil Power:

When people are diagnosed with cancer, there is a massive income hit and they are also hit with extra costs at the same time. Senator Wall is correct that they just do not have the income to be able to bridge that gap. It is an issue we are aware of and we appreciate the Senator raising it.

I am conscious of the Chair's statement that the committee will make recommendations arising from this meeting. We can follow up on the specific figures Deputy Ó Cuív raised. Ms Drynan-Gale is correct that the vast majority of cancer patients are older; it is primarily a disease of older people. Regarding this issue in particular, we have concern about the hardship for those in younger groups. When people who are diagnosed with cancer at a younger age, often the income drop is greater because they would ordinarily be in employment and not retired. They are likely to be in the midst of their mortgage period or paying rent, so they have those costs and they may have childcare costs.

With childhood cancer, the income hit for parents from taking time off to look after the child and having to pay for additional childcare for other children while they are travelling to Crumlin hospital with the child who is sick is a massive issue. We will send the committee the figures showing show that while those who die from cancer are primarily older people, the hardship is often greater for those caring for a child who is ill or those who are diagnosed with cancer in a younger age group where they would ordinarily have a higher income and many other household costs before they are hit with all the additional costs of cancer. We urge the committee to look behind the statistics because that is a particular group that we feel needs help. They do not get access over-70 schemes and all the other benefits available to older people. That is why we are arguing it should be universal.