Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister knows, the national cancer strategy is an ambitious but realistic document. There is a real risk that cancer outcomes, which have been trending in a more positive direction in recent years, will begin to go backwards if we do not see that funding continued in the specific areas that have been outlined.

There seems to be a disconnect between what the Minister is saying here and what the advocacy groups, the Oireachtas cross-party group on cancer, the Irish Cancer Society and other groups are seeing. Some engagement in the first quarter of this year by the Minister and his Department with the Irish Cancer Society on the specifics of the roll-out of the cancer strategy would be welcome. I would look forward to his response on that.

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