Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue of cancer care. While still too high, cancer mortality rates in Ireland are falling faster than the EU average, having fallen by 17% between 2011 and 2021 compared with the EU average of 12%. Five-year survival rates for patients have greatly improved since the first national cancer strategy. They are 65% for patients who received a cancer diagnosis in the period 2014 to 2018 compared with 44% in 1994 to 1998.

The Deputy raised specific issues with cancer services in University Hospital Limerick. I will ask the Department and the Minister's office to come up with a written response and we will get it sent to the Deputy.

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