John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The alcohol products Bill was shelved because the Government opted for a voluntary code. It is not dealing with the root causes of the problem, as usual.

We know from the Irish Cancer Society that when the Government was devising its cancer strategy, it did not budget properly for the significant increase in cancer cases we are now experiencing. No mention is made in the strategy of how cancer services will cater for an increased capacity or budgets for the maintenance and development of cancer care services. According to the society, the annual budget for cancer services, which currently stands at €25.5 million, will be totally inadequate to meet increasing demands and the need for health promotion, cancer prevention and screening programmes.

It is important that we invest in the early detection of cancer. Given the slow roll-out of screening services, many people are dying unnecessarily. Statistics compiled by Maev-Ann Wren and Dale Tussing indicate that, even though Ireland's incidence of breast cancer is below the EU average, the death rate from breast cancer in 2001 was the highest reported within the EU 15. This combination suggests that early detection and treatment are inferior in Ireland. When BreastCheck is finally introduced nationwide, the death rate should fall. Now that we are approaching an election, the Government is only too happy to announce screening programmes but we will wait to see what happens.

The Irish Cancer Society states that we have reached a crisis point in terms of accident and emergency care due to a lack of bed capacity. We have also reached a crisis point with regard to intensive care beds. The society warns that unless the Government takes action immediately, we will face a serious crisis in cancer care. Unfortunately, those realities have been ignored. The society is calling for equity in the availability, access and performance of cancer services throughout the country and the establishment of four cancer care networks to cater for a population of 1 million people each and incorporating eight licensed cancer care hospitals. It is also demanding the provision of integrated primary care, which the Green Party advocates in the primary care document we published last Friday, along with better hospital care, palliative care and psychology and support services.

With regard to the money being allocated to palliative care, Jane Bailey, who lives in Deputy O'Shea's constituency, has been in contact with the health spokespersons of the Opposition parties to complain that the amount allocated and the way it is spent are pitiful. The Government should take responsibility for that failure.

The Irish Cancer Society is calling for a comprehensive health promotion and cancer prevention plan which would incorporate nationwide screening for certain cancers, where appropriate. With regard to breast cancer screening, the society is adamant that the deadline of 2007 for the full national roll-out of BreastCheck should be met, so all women in the country have access to screening. The society supports the recommendation that a national screening programme for colorectal cancer should be implemented. Cervical cancer screening is vital. On skin cancer, it recommends simple measures. Clearly children should not be allowed near sunbeds, which have become popular. It is ridiculous that some children use sunbeds to get a tan before their First Holy Communion. The Government has ignored measures that could and should be taken.

Let us get the early years right. Let us go back to first principles and then let us invest in screening and preventive measures.

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