Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)

I wish to ask about cancer services with specific reference to the NDP review that will be published in July and to make the case for a dedicated funding stream within that for cancer services. I wish to also ask about UHL and especially the cancer care outcomes. UHL has the worst outcomes in the January 2025 NCRI report. This is extremely concerning. There is no PET scanner, which means lung cancer patients are suffering delays of four to six weeks and have to travel for these scans. There is a plan to deliver one within the next five years, but that needs to happen a lot quicker. Currently patients have to travel to the Beacon and to Cork, where there is a four week wait. There is also no cardiothoracic surgeon on site. Patients are sent to St. James's Hospital. There is only one bronchoscopy room and no recovery room for patients post-bronchoscopy, which means it is extremely inefficient. If a recovery room existed four bronchoscopies could be performed in one hour, rather than one as it is now.

See this speech in context