Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I appreciate the work under way across the health service and I know there is a strong focus on delivering improved cancer outcomes, but the data points to real challenges and real opportunities for improvement. I welcome the commitment from Government and the Minister and acknowledge the investment to date. Ireland still has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in western Europe and one of the highest rates of new diagnosis in the EU. Waiting times for access to new cancer medicines remain a concern, with Irish patients waiting an average of 644 days post-EMA approval, which is longer than many of our European counterparts.

10 o’clock

Our screening participation rates are encouraging in County Kildare, with bowel screening rates above target. However, HPV uptake has dipped slightly since 2019 and the perception of access remains an issue. In Leinster, outside of Dublin, two in five people report delaying care due to system pressures.

We have made progress, which I acknowledge, but more is needed to ensure timely diagnosis, equitable access and improved outcomes.

See this speech in context