Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would look forward to that. For years the Irish Cancer Society advocated for the abolition of inpatient hospital charges. We delivered that last year and the Irish Cancer Society deserves great credit for it. Many of the groups argue that we need quicker access. I am pleased to note that due to the investment in 2021, 2022 and 2023, waiting times are down across the board. Waiting times for patients are down across the rapid access clinics for breast, lung and prostate, which is a great testament to the work being done. Last year, over 46,000 patients were seen, 11,000 cancer surgeries were performed and nearly 90,000 chemotherapy and other systemic anti-cancer treatments were carried out. There is, therefore, a lot of work going on. New services are being provided. The CAR-T cell therapy service in St. James's Hospital for children is revolutionary and mind-blowing. I have also allocated €3 million to the fantastic community cancer support groups this year. We will keep investing in and growing these services. There will be more and newer treatments and quicker access, as well as more holistic support, not just intensive hospital-based support but also community-based and psychosocial supports that patients and families need.

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