Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)

Sinn Féin strongly supports the motion. In common with the experience of all other Deputies, there are numerous cases in my constituency that illustrate the problem people are having with services for cancer patients. All Deputies have met families affected in this regard. These families are under enormous pressure primarily because of the lack of proper facilities and care for their loved ones. In recent years we have highlighted, for example, the difficulties women have getting access to the BreastCheck programme. It is a disgrace that it required a public campaign in Kerry to push for such a service to be made available. The co-ordinated efforts of the public, Sinn Féin members and activists along with Deputy Moynihan-Cronin collected thousands of signatures to a petition urging the Minister for Health and Children to do something to deal with the issue.

It takes too long for people to be seen and get the results of their tests. Currently the average waiting time for women to get the results of cervical cancer tests is between four and nine months. In countries with national screening programmes, the average waiting time is just six weeks, which makes a significant difference in reducing their anxiety and allows them to access the necessary treatment if the test proves positive. It is evident that suffering anxiety or stress as a result of an ailment only accelerates the illness. It is vital that such a programme is made available here.

I recently encountered the case of an elderly married man in his 60s. He and his wife were on the minimum wage. He had worked all his life. He had cancer and needed to travel to and from Cork for chemotherapy. While their savings lasted, his wife was able to travel with him. Unfortunately, their savings ran out and he was then required to make the journey unaccompanied, although very weak, to and from Cork to get treatment. It took a public campaign backed by Sinn Féin for him to get funding to allow his wife to travel with him.

In Kerry South we had the disgraceful case of a mother of five, whose husband had died of cancer a few weeks earlier. On one occasion she had to be transported for treatment in the back of a Hiace van because no proper transport was available. These unfortunate medical card holders, who do not have the money to get the necessary treatment, find themselves discriminated against, which is a disgrace and a total indictment of both partners in Government.

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