David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

I fully understand that cancer services go beyond the national cancer strategy. Of course that is the case. Across all of our acute hospitals, cancer services are provided that are outside the remit of the national cancer strategy. That strategy is also important in bringing together stakeholders. It is meant to bring consistency in services and it looks at where gaps are and so on. I had this discussion with the Minister at the Oireachtas health committee yesterday. I do not need to know exactly how the money is going be spent because that is a matter for the regions. I do not have a quarrel with that. I supported the health regions and I believe in regional health budgets, but it is important for us to know what additional money has gone into any of those strategies or not. It is not what the health regions will spend the money on; it is how much new money they have been given, in addition, to invest in these services. That is what the Irish Cancer Society is trying to find out. It is what other organisations advocating for cancer patients are trying to find out. I cannot tell them. I have told them I have asked the question so many times and I cannot seem to get any answer. I do not know what other way I can raise it other than in here directly with the Minister.

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