Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health
Current Issues Relating to Health Services for Cancer: Discussion
2:00 am
Mr. Damien McCallion:
I will make a couple of brief additional points. First, as part of the new cancer strategy, the intention is to review where we are at to see what has gone well and what needs to be leveraged into the next strategy. We will be able to identify those issues in a more detailed way. Second, going back to Professor Ó Laoide's point, the capital plan each year will start to build. Whether it is for radiation oncology or otherwise, there will be a multi-year plan. Some of the pieces that are under general pressure from the system will be dealt with within the regions. Mr. Canavan will know what challenges he faces in the west. If patients are not getting access to daycare or are not getting into theatre because of surgical delays, that needs a system-wide view. It may need additional funding but it is not a sort of niche pot. We must look at the system as a whole. That is really important for those issues, alongside the specialist areas, as Professor Ó Laoide said, that will be driven out by the NCCP.
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