Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

"That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I am pleased to bring the Central Bank Amendment Bill 2025 before the House. The Bill was initiated as a Private Members' Bill by Deputy Catherine Ardagh in February and, with her agreement, the Government has decided to use Government speaking time to prioritise its introduction before the recess and make the relevant amendments on Committee Stage. The legislation reflects not only a programme for Government commitment but is the right thing to do. We are ensuring those who have survived cancer can access mortgage protection insurance without discrimination based on their past diagnosis.

The journey cancer survivors face is arduous and filled with uncertainty. However, when in remission their hopes are to rebuild, continue onwards and upwards, and plan with their families. For too long, though, cancer survivors in Ireland have faced a challenging and unfair situation whereby they can be refused cover or be charged higher premiums because of their past diagnoses. The Bill aims to put a stop to this by giving effect to the right to be forgotten concept that is now becoming recognised throughout Europe.

I take this opportunity to thank Deputy Ardagh for her unwavering dedication and hard work in bringing this critical issue to the forefront of our national agenda. Deputy Ardagh's determined efforts, including introducing the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill and previously championing it in the Seanad, are to be noted in the House. While this is a programme for Government commitment, I wanted to prioritise it on taking office in the Department of Finance at the end of January. It is legislation I was determined to progress in the first six months of my brief. Therefore, to ensure efficient progression of the Bill through the Houses, the Government has taken the right decision to progress the Bill in Government time, subject to amendments that will be worked on over the summer.

Why does the Bill matter? This Bill is about fairness, dignity and recognising the resilience of individuals who have overcome one of life's greatest challenges. Their past struggles should not define their future opportunities. I firmly believe that we should be guided by these struggles to make something better if we have the ability to do so. Cancer touches a great many of us in Ireland, including myself and my family. I lost two siblings to cancer and I see it as a great privilege to be in a position to effect positive change today.

The Bill reflects a broader societal commitment to support cancer survivors, ensuring that recovery from cancer is not a barrier to accessing mortgage protection. It gives statutory weight to protections that were previously voluntary, making them enforceable by law. This is a crucial step forward. At the heart of the Bill is the straightforward but powerful principle that, where survivors have completed treatment and remained in remission for a defined period, a past cancer diagnosis should not be held against them in the underwriting of mortgage protection insurance. This is a vital safeguard that allows survivors to rebuild their lives without fear of discrimination or financial exclusion.

Some Deputies might rightly ask why we are doing this now when it has been spoken about for years. The Government was instrumental in moving the sector to act with the introduction of Insurance Ireland's voluntary code of practice on mortgage protection for cancer survivors in December 2023. This was a crucial first step. Key elements of the code included a commitment from participating insurers not to consider a cancer diagnosis where the applicant had completed treatment more than seven years ago, or five years ago for individuals diagnosed when under the age of 18, and a cap of €500,000 on the sum assured for those covered under the code.

The Government's initial approach was to consider and observe how this voluntary code functioned in practice before seeking to enshrine similar provisions in law. We wanted to avoid rushing into legislation that could be impractical or leave unintended gaps or legal consequences. Forvis Mazars conducted an independent review of the code in May 2025 on behalf of Insurance Ireland. The review confirmed that the code broadly works as intended but it also identified limitations. Its voluntary nature means that not all insurers are bound by it. The €500,000 cap and seven-year remission period exclude some survivors, particularly those with larger mortgage needs or longer treatment histories. Alongside this, the Department of Finance reviewed similar frameworks across the EU, looking at countries like France, Belgium and Luxembourg where laws on the right to be forgotten are already in place. We have learned a great deal from these countries' experiences.

All of this groundwork was essential. Having completed it, the Government is now in a position to propose Committee Stage amendments to the legislation as initiated to refine the Bill and ensure that it is legally robust, in compliance with EU law and Solvency II regulatory standards, operationally practical for insurers and regulators, and fair and effective for cancer survivors seeking mortgage protection insurance. While I understand the frustration behind calls to act sooner, I assure the House that this careful and evidence-based approach ensures the best long-term outcome for cancer survivors and the stability of the market.

The involvement of a number of organisations has been crucial and that too deserves recognition. It is important to highlight that the industry came to the table and that this legislation reflects progress rather than punishment. Above all, the tireless advocacy work of the Irish Cancer Society has been instrumental in giving survivors a voice.

Some may question why the Bill focuses solely on cancer survivors and mortgage protection insurance and does not cover other financial products or medical conditions. The answer is one of prioritisation and pragmatism. In legislation and policy, it is vital to take a stepwise approach similar to other EU member states, focusing first on where the need is greatest and where there is the clearest evidence base. Mortgage protection insurance is a critical financial product tied directly to one of the most fundamental aspects of life, that is, securing a home. It is the area where discrimination against cancer survivors has been most pronounced and where protections are most urgently needed. Expanding the scope prematurely without the detailed actuarial and legal groundwork we have done here could introduce unintended consequences such as legal uncertainty, which would delay protection for cancer survivors, or indirectly impacting other insurance products and premiums. It was prudent of the Government to ensure these were avoided.

The amendments we are proposing on Committee Stage will clarify this focus, aligning the Bill's scope precisely with the existing voluntary code and European best practice. This targeted scope will ensure effective protection for cancer survivors where it matters most, avoid unintended impacts on other insurance products and sectors, and provide a clear and manageable framework for enforcement and complaints resolution. I will bring forward a number of amendments on Committee Stage following detailed consideration by Department of Finance officials, engagement with the Attorney General's office and key stakeholders, and the approval of Government.

It is my intention that these amendments will: focus the scope of the Bill to mortgage protection insurance exclusively to focus protections where they are most needed; align it with the principles of the voluntary code; specify definitions as to what constitutes a cancer survivor for the purposes of this legislation, reflecting clinical and actuarial evidence on remission periods; set clear parameters around the remission period and sum assured thresholds, balancing protections and the management of prudential risk; designate the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman's office as the complaints and dispute resolution authority to provide an accessible and effective enforcement mechanism, thereby clarifying the powers and responsibilities of the Central Bank of Ireland; and ensure compliance with EU monetary and financial rules and other relevant legal frameworks to avoid unintended conflicts or risks. Each of these amendments will be carefully considered to ensure the Bill is not only meaningful, but also operationally viable, legally sound and capable of delivering real protections to cancer survivors.

This Bill is priority legislation for Government, reflecting our commitment under the programme for Government and our responsibility to those affected. The Government is firmly committed to ensuring that this legislation is progressed in a timely manner. With the co-operation of both this House and the Seanad, it is my intention that the Bill will be enacted before the end of the year. Following Second Stage, which I hope the Bill will pass today, my officials will engage closely with the Attorney General's office on the precise drafting of the amendments in the areas I have outlined. These amendments will be subject to legal scrutiny to ensure compliance with all relevant domestic and EU laws. I assure all Members that, while we are on Second Stage, the substantive and critical amendments to make the Bill workable and effective will be brought forward on Committee Stage. This is where detailed scrutiny and improvements will occur.

I wish to clearly emphasise that this Bill reflects our society's values of fairness, resilience and support for those who have survived cancer. It is the product of careful work, broad consultation and a commitment to getting it right for the long term. We are now at a crucial stage that will define how these protections are delivered in practice. The amendments in the areas I have signalled will ensure the Bill is fit for purpose and delivers on our promise. I ask all Members of the House to support the Bill on Committee Stage, to work constructively with us to improve it, and to demonstrate that we stand together for cancer survivors and for fairness in financial services. I look forward to listening to the contributions today and to a productive and informed debate.

Máire Devine (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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At the outset, we welcome this Bill. Ensuring the right to be forgotten is essential for people who have overcome cancer. For people who face a diagnosis of that kind, purchasing a home might not be the first thing on their mind but shelter and owning a home are so important that many will quickly realise they are facing not only a battle with cancer but, even when they are on the far side of cancer, a battle to simply be treated like everyone else by the banks and insurance companies that are the modern gatekeepers of home ownership.

We welcome the Bill and the Government can be assured of our support. In many ways, this is long overdue. We saw France introduce legislation almost a decade ago. In Ireland, we saw a voluntary code recently adopted by the insurance industry. Insurance companies can choose whether they adhere to the code in each individual case. The long-standing default to self-regulation has not served us well. That voluntary code only applies to mortgage protection insurance, not other types of insurance. That said, the fact that we are looking at this policy area raises many more questions. Are five years cancer free a fair threshold to set for the right to be forgotten? We have to add the difficult years of battling cancer. Only when people are finally cancer free does the clock start, and then they have to wait five years to apply for mortgages. That does not seem right to me. We need to look hard at it.

I hope the Government will be sincerely open to looking at how we can go further than what is set out in the Bill. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have a long track record of siding with the banks, including allowing them to sell upwards of 100,000 mortgages to vulture funds, many for no reason and without consent. The families deserve justice there. The banks are allowed to enjoy corporation tax relief while boasting a combined profit of €5 billion last year alone and despite never fully repaying the Irish people for bailing them out. This is an opportunity for the Government to show it is on the side of the ordinary people and not the banks. Ordinary people deserve so much more.

Make no mistake, bank and insurance companies do not want this even if they will not say that publicly. If it is to pass, they want it as narrow as possible, with the wait time for a fresh start as long as possible. A year after the first all-clear from a doctor should be more than enough. People need to be able to move on with their lives, especially with lives they felt had been threatened.

We have to think about why we are only talking about cancer. There are many serious medical conditions that mean people cannot access mortgages, either because the banks will not lend or insurance companies will not provide the insurance banks require to issue a mortgage. My colleague Deputy Conway-Walsh was dealing with a case a couple of years ago where a woman who previously suffered from eating disorders had been denied insurance. She was denied precisely because she was continuing therapy to ensure she did not relapse. She was effectively being punished for doing the right thing, seeking help and staying healthy. I believe that, eventually, due to that woman bravely speaking out and political pressure, she was offered coverage, but nobody should have to go down that route.

This leads me to another area. It is not often that lending is the greatest barrier. As in the story I mentioned, the issue is often in accessing the mortgage protection insurance. This is where we need to be careful to ensure the legislation has the intended effect. Not only must people not be denied coverage, but we also need to ensure they are offered fair and affordable premiums. If someone gets an offer but the monthly cost is extortionate, then the barrier to accessing mortgages will remain. This issue is sometimes kicked around between the banks and the insurance company. The approach is hands-off and that it is somebody else's problem. The insurance companies will say that, where they will not insure, there are exemptions under section 126 of the Consumer Credit Act while banks will say that insurance companies should be providing insurance. It is a Mexican stand-off, and people are denied mortgages for not having mortgage protection insurance and are quoted extortionate premiums. Many people do know that they can argue the case with the bank.

I welcome this legislation and we will be supporting it, but I ask the Minister of State to take those issues on board.

Catherine Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is very welcome to see the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025, also known as the right to be forgotten Bill, now before the House on Second Stage. It is a significant moment for cancer survivors across Ireland and for all those who have campaigned for fair treatment when it comes to access to mortgage protection and financial products following a cancer diagnosis. It is also a meaningful moment for me personally. I first introduced this legislation in the Seanad in October 2022 after working very closely with the Irish Cancer Society, survivor advocates and legal colleagues. That original Bill progressed to Committee Stage with strong cross-party support, including from Deputy Devine's former colleague Senator Paul Gavan. There was positive engagement from the then Government. Unfortunately, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Oireachtas but the injustice it aimed to address never went away. The challenge remained and so did the commitment to fix it, including in the programme for Government, as the Minister of State, Deputy Troy has said.

I am proud to see this Bill return today as a Government Bill. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, for his dedication in ensuring this legislation was brought forward. He has worked hand in hand with me to ensure it progressed from a concept to Cabinet and now to this Chamber.

A Cheann Comhairle, the aim of this legislation is simple but essential. It is to ensure that a person who has recovered from cancer is not subject to ongoing discrimination by financial providers, particularly when applying for mortgage protection. I hope that other products will be available, like travel insurance. The Bill provides that once a defined recovery period has passed since treatment concluded, survivors will no longer be required to disclose their cancer diagnoses when applying for financial products. We all know how damaging this kind of post-treatment discrimination can be, with people having to relive their cancer diagnoses. I have heard from people who were unable to draw down a mortgage at the very last minute because of their historic illnesses. Others were quoted prohibitively high premiums or asked to submit updated medical reports despite being in remission for many years. For many, it has meant house purchases collapsing at the very last minute, family plans being put on hold, or feeling trapped by a system that continues to define them by the most difficult chapter in their lives. This is not acceptable. This is what the Minister of State, Deputy Troy's and my Bill seeks to address.

We are not acting in isolation. A number of other EU member states, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, have already legislated for the right to be forgotten. Ireland is now catching up with the standard and delivering on our programme for Government commitment to protect cancer survivors and enshrine this in our law. The Bill also builds upon the voluntary code of practice introduced by Insurance Ireland in 2023. That code has had a positive impact and I acknowledge Insurance Ireland and the insurance companies that have adopted it. However, voluntary measures are not enough. They are not enforceable and do not provide certainty to applicants and cancer survivors. This Bill gives legal effect to that protection and creates a consistent and fair approach for all. The Bill includes clear provisions for its enforcement. It establishes offences for breaches, sets out penalties and enables appropriate authorities to investigate and act. While the specific oversight body may be clarified in future regulations as the Minister of State indicated, the intent is clear. Providers who breach the law should be held accountable and survivors should have real recourse when they are treated unfairly.

I know there will be discussion on Committee Stage around timelines set out in the Bill, including the current reference to five years post treatment. I welcome debate and we should engage fully with clinical experts and stakeholders to ensure the law reflects best practice. However, the underlying principle must be maintained that a person who has recovered should not be forced to continually relive his or her diagnosis in the context of financial applications. It is about fairness but also about privacy and dignity.

I acknowledge the continued leadership of the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, who has championed this Bill and has worked across Departments to ensure it received the support it needed to get here today. I also want to thank Commissioner Michael McGrath, who supported the original Bill in the Seanad. I also acknowledge Insurance Ireland for its comprehensive engagement, and the Irish Cancer Society, which has championed this Bill since 2022. I commend the officials in the Department of Finance for their detailed and practical engagement with me and my team and for their clear commitment to delivering a workable and effective Bill. I thank all my colleagues on a cross-party basis who have supported this Bill. I thank the Irish Cancer Society's patient advocates, who have tirelessly advocated for the right to be forgotten to be enshrined in Irish law.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Well done, Deputy. Next is Deputy Cian O'Callaghan.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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On behalf of the Social Democrats, I welcome and support this Bill. I commend Deputy Ardagh for all her work on this over the years. I commend the Minister of State and the Department for running with it. I particularly acknowledge all of the work done by the Irish Cancer Society and its patient advocates over the years in campaigning for this. Indeed, they have not just campaigned for this important measure but there is all the work they are doing. It is incredible to see people who are battling cancer also taking the time to fight for better conditions for themselves and for other people fighting and battling cancer. This is long overdue legislation. People who have beaten cancer should never be discriminated against. I agree with the comments made earlier about the five year threshold. That needs to be looked at because it is quite long, especially when you consider what people have already gone through. They have gone through the fight and often a prolonged period with a loss of income. Having come through all of that, to have to wait another five years is a long time in terms of not facing these measures. That is why the intent of the Bill is very welcome and I strongly support it.

The other point I make is that the Irish Cancer Society plays an absolutely critical role in the supports it gives and the gaps it fills. We have come a long way as a country in better treatments and better outcomes for people fighting cancer, but there are significant gaps in support that the Irish Cancer Society fills, and without which individuals and families supporting them would be in an even more difficult place. It is important to acknowledge that but to also say, as legislators, in addition to this Bill we have more to do to support people fighting cancer. Too much of that is being left on the shoulders of the Irish Cancer Society. It does a very good role, but I know, without the additional supports it gives, people would be in an even more difficult situation. When someone is battling cancer, they should not be worrying about the practicalities and finances and they should not have all the additional stress from that, but they do. Because of the work of volunteers in the Irish Cancer Society some of that gap is filled, but it should not just be left on them.

Only one in four cancer survivors felt they were treated fairly when it came to buying financial products, according to research the Irish Cancer Society undertook. That underlines the importance of this Bill. Once again, I commend Deputy Ardagh and the Minister of State for running with this. I acknowledge that. It is good that there are times we can all work together in this House. It is good that this is one of these times.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Independent Ireland is proud to speak in strong support of this Bill today. This Bill speaks to the very core of fairness, common sense and compassion in public policy. It is a simple but powerful measure that will make a real difference in the lives of thousands of our people who have already been through hell and back. The financial discrimination faced by cancer survivors in Ireland is an ongoing quiet injustice. Survivors, who are ordinary men and women, mothers and fathers, workers and neighbours are being punished financially for something they have already overcome with unimaginable courage. These are people who have beaten the odds, endured the hardest years of their lives and yet face fresh barriers when they try to move forward like higher insurance premiums, denied mortgages and repeated invasive questions about their past. This is not acceptable in a modern, fair and compassionate republic.

Ireland's cancer survival rate has improved dramatically in recent decades thanks to advances in medicine and better healthcare. More than 220,000 people are living with or beyond cancer in Ireland today. These are not statistics. These are families, communities and lives that are reclaimed. Despite this medical progress our financial system remains stuck in the past. Ireland lags behind countries like France, Belgium and the Netherlands where this right is already protected in law. Insurance Ireland's voluntary code is welcome, but voluntary is not enough. Voluntary codes do not deliver certainty, accountability or enforceability. Why does this Bill matter? This is not a technical or financial issue. It is a question of dignity, fairness and equality. People who have survived cancer should not have to carry that label like a financial scarlet letter for the rest of their lives. After five years, post-treatment survivors deserve the right to move forward free from unfair discrimination. The Bill will ensure they cannot be penalised or excluded from financial services solely due to past illness. Their privacy is protected and there is no need to disclose what should no longer be relevant. There are penalties for financial institutions that refuse to respect these new standards.

This is about putting an end to unnecessary punishment. If medicine says they are clear, the law should say the same. It is about sovereignty and common sense regulations. We should not need Brussels to tell us how to treat our citizens with fairness. We should make our own laws. The law should serve people, especially those who have already suffered. This is the State standing by them. We know too well how faceless corporations can wield disproportionate powers. The Bill restores balance with a clear legal definition of what constitutes discrimination in this context. These are concrete protections after five years post-treatment, clear, understandable and enforceable. It shows legal recognition that cancer survivors have a right to financial inclusion and privacy, practical enforcement through fines and penalties, no room for evasion and flexibility for future Ministers to issue regulations to ensure these protections keep pace with developments.

I had a serious issue I raised in the Dáil approximately a month ago about health insurance. I will not bother naming the health insurance company now because it got resolved, but it should not have had to go the way it went. This has to be looked into at the highest level. You and I take out health insurance, which this person did in my constituency. I think he was paying €1,470 every year, thankfully without ever having to make a drawback. He got cancer and needed a special type of treatment for cancer. He was told that under his cover from the health company he had comprehensive cover. However, when he knocked on the door after many years of paying €1,470, he was told it was not that type of cover. I cannot remember the exact name of the medical treatment that gentleman needed, it was pharma something - I have it in the office - but Lord God the fight started for his very survival; fighting for your survival and fighting for your rights. He had health insurance. If company is doing it, the whole lot of them are doing it and selling it. If I have comprehensive car insurance, I expect if I went outside the gate and God forbid I hit another car, that I would have full cover. I do not understand how you can have comprehensive cover and it is not comprehensive. That is what we were led to believe all of our lives anyway. That is what this gentleman thought. He was 100% sure in a terrible time of need that he had cover, and he had that bit of relief behind him. He was told he did not and to move on, and I was told to move on, but I did not. We brought it here to the floor of Dáil Éireann and the company decided to step back and to cover the gentleman, and rightly so it should. Imagine the unimaginable upset for that family to think these were the lengths they had to go to for their rights.

How many more have been treated like that? How many more did not have a voice? How many more politicians decided to ignore the plea from their constituents? Is this happening on a regular basis? I hope in this Bill going forward, which we will be supporting, that the Minister of State will look into that area too, so when they say comprehensive cancer cover, it means 100% cover. If not, they should be honest and say it is only 50% or 60% cover or whatever and name the types of cancers covered so people know when they pay that they will not be out of pocket essentially.

I commend Cancer Connect in west Cork. I have often raised the efforts of Cancer Connect in west Cork and the amount of people working there under the guidance of Helen and a fantastic team in the offices in west Cork. They deliver cancer care. They deliver a free transport service in west Cork. I was part of the organisation that was set up maybe 25 years ago. Everybody gets picked up in the community who wants to go for their chemotherapy, radiotherapy or whatever treatment they need to get. They are taken by bus from the door to the door free of charge so at least it alleviates that. If it is the case that it is a rare type of cancer and you have to be careful that it might have a spread, there is a car service. I extend a huge thank you to Helen, the working team and the car drivers. Each car driver is voluntary. Most of them are retired people who have decided to give up their time free of charge to take people to Cork for their chemotherapy and drop them home in the evening. That is great relief for people. I know the State was never asked until recently, because it is growing and growing. There is a huge number of cars on the road. Last year there was an initial promise of €50,000 under the budget and they got €50,000. They gratefully accept €50,000 and they are not complaining.

This is an area that should be looked into going forward because Cancer Connect requires full funding, with €100,000 desperately required to deliver a cancer service for people. The service has gone to Kerry and it is now being copied around the country. It is a voluntary service that deserves funding.

I am proud to see Ireland moving in step with leading European countries with this Bill, but this is about Irish people first, not Europe. We do this because it is right for Ireland. That said, harmonising with best practice strengthens our reputation for fairness and decency. Behind every statistic are people with names, families and futures, survivors trying to secure homes for their families, parents seeking life insurance for peace of mind and workers trying to rebuild their financial security after illness. They deserve better than bureaucratic suspicion and financial punishment.

This is a small legislative change but a huge change in the lives of those affected. Independent Ireland welcomes the Bill with open arms because it embodies our values. We call on all Deputies to set aside party lines and support this fair, necessary and overdue Bill. Let us ensure that survivors are celebrated, not penalised. Let us pass this Bill and send a clear message in Ireland that cancer survivors have the right not to be always remembered but to be remembered by lawmakers as citizens worthy of fairness, dignity and respect.

In my last speech in the Dáil before the summer break, I thank the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the ushers and all the staff in Dáil Éireann who have been most kind to us as individuals, and all TDs. I wish them the best.

I would appreciate if Cancer Connect were to become an issue, especially in west Cork and we looked at delivery there. In fairness, the Taoiseach came down to Bantry last year and spoke very highly of the service. That is hugely important. The insurance companies cannot get away with the stunt they are trying to pull here by telling people they have comprehensive cover when they do not have it. That is not good enough, especially when it comes to cancer. People have enough worries on their minds when they are diagnosed with something. The last thing they want is to find out the company that promised them something, and which they spent years handing over their money to, tried to pull a scam on them. That is the way I look at it and I cannot see how any other person could see it otherwise. The insurance company was not genuine in this case and left somebody in a bad way. Thankfully, the matter was resolved but it is not have happened.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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I welcome this fundamentally important Bill. Aontú has been campaigning for this for a long time. The right to be forgotten is crucially important for cancer survivors. We welcome and support this right 100%. The State has effectively punished cancer survivors and victims on the double. The first way is in terms of delayed treatment and diagnosis. The Irish Cancer Society this week launched a report stating that five out of six targets are being missed by the State. In the second instance, they are punished through financial discrimination. The idea that cancer survivors have been locked out of home ownership is a sad and shocking state of affairs. I have met many cancer survivors. I knocked on the doors of rented houses where the tenants had survived cancer for five, six or seven years and were still locked out of the ability to own their homes. This is at a time when rents are doubling because of the Government's policies. This is, therefore, a fundamentally important Bill, which we welcome with open arms.

I also raise the variations in cancer diagnosis. It is a well-known fact that early detection and diagnosis improves the prognosis for individual patients. The Irish Cancer Society outlined recently that there are shocking variations when it comes to cancer diagnosis. There are geographical variations and, indeed, a postcode lottery when it comes to cancer. However, there are also significant variations in public and private treatment, which is hard to believe in this day and age. For example, radiotherapy equipment with a lifespan of ten years is still in operation after 17 years. This has a significant impact in terms of servicing, etc., which knocks these machines out of action for some time. There are no PET scanners in public hospitals in Galway, Limerick and Waterford, which is hard to believe in this day and age.

From memory, over the past ten years, the number of patients treated for cancer at the Galway centre of excellence has doubled, but that has not been reflected in investments, staff numbers and physical space. Figures released to Aontú recently show there has been a 12% disparity between cancer patients in the public system versus those in the private system. The survival rate for breast cancer is 81% in the public system and 93% in the private system. That is a shocking situation. Coupled with the geographical disparity, it is a major task on which the Minister of State needs to work.

While we are in the process of improving the circumstances for victims and survivors of cancer, the Minister of State needs to recognise the significant financial cost of having cancer in this country. Car parking charges, for example, are significant, particularly in Dublin and Galway. Many of my constituents have to travel to Galway regularly. There is a significant cost in terms of fuel, cars, taxis and buses and parking charges. The Government should remove parking charges for patients with cancer. A certain number of hospitals have done this already but, with the Minister of State's intervention, that could happen overnight. While it may seem small to the Minister of State and me, in the fullness of our health, please God, it would make a significant impact on cancer patients.

Having a cancer diagnosis comes with significant worry and anxiety, emotionally, for the patient and their family because of all the things that go through their heads. Financial anxiety should not be heaped upon them and, where possible, the burden of the financial cost should be removed. An answer to a parliamentary question released to Aontú outlined that hospital car parks are generating extraordinary revenue. From whom is that being extracted? The hospitals are creaming it off the most vulnerable people in our society. I want the Minister of State to reduce the cost of car parking for cancer patients and other patients and remove that particular cost.

The cost of buying a bottle of water or whatever it may be in a hospital vending machine is double what it is in a shop. If I could have the Minister of State's attention briefly, why are vending machines in hospitals so expensive? Could he address that issue? Could he look into it and see what we can do as a Parliament to try to reduce that cost? Anything he or the House can do to remove additional costs and stress from people who have cancer and significant illnesses is a good thing. This is a step in the right direction. The right to be forgotten and the ability of cancer survivors to access financial products like mortgages are fundamentally important, but we cannot stop here.

There is much more work to be done. There is significant work to do on reducing the costs for cancer patients, on car parking charges and on variations in geography. It is difficult to believe that someone diagnosed with cancer in the west has a reduced survival rate and someone diagnosed with cancer in a public hospital versusa private hospital has a significantly reduced chance of survival. I ask the Minister of State to look at the important issues I have raised and perhaps come back to me with a review of those key points.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle and Oireachtas staff for their professionalism and assistance in my first term in Dáil Éireann.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Well done, Deputy. I congratulate him on getting to the end of his first term. I am afraid we have no more speakers so I call the Minister of State to make his closing speech.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank all Members who contributed to this important debate on the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025. It is fair to say the tone of the discussion, by and large, has been thoughtful, constructive and, above all, compassionate, reflecting the seriousness and humanity of the issue at stake. This Bill is not just about insurance regulation but fairness, restoring dignity and ensuring those who have survived cancer are treated with justice not judgment.

I acknowledge the contributions from across the political spectrum. As previous speakers have said, we are coming to the end of the Dáil term. Usually, on Thursday evenings, it is harder to get contributors to debates regardless of how serious or important the matter is. I thank those who have given up their time this evening. It is fair to say there has been a clear and shared recognition that cancer survivors deserve better and their past illnesses should not be a barrier to home ownership.

Some of the contributions strayed much wider and further than what the Bill intends to do. All I can say to those who made other suggestions relevant to other Departments - this is a Department of Finance Bill - is we will pass on their suggestions to the relevant Minister or Minister of State in the Department of Health. I appreciate that any Deputy will take the opportunity to raise points relevant to supporting people undergoing treatment for cancer. I take those points in the spirit in which they were given and will certainly refer them to the relevant Minister to see what can be done.

We are not legislating in the abstract here; we are responding to very real barriers faced by our fellow citizens. I thank Deputy Ardagh, who has a long-standing commitment to this issue and has brought us to where we are today. Her work in raising this, both in the Seanad in the previous term and in the Dáil, in partnership with the Irish Cancer Society and its CEO, the former Senator Averil Power, laid the foundation for what is very much a priority of mine now. This is also a priority Bill for the Government. It is right that Deputy Ardagh's determination is reflected in the progress made today.

Several important points were raised during this debate. Some Members asked whether we were going far enough, while others questioned whether we should move faster or broaden the scope of the protections. These are fair questions and I assure Members they will be taken seriously as we move to Committee Stage. I stress that our approach from the outset has been guided by a careful, evidence-based and legally sound pathway. We have deliberately chosen to start with mortgage protection insurance because it is where the problem is most acute and the benefits of reform will be felt most directly.

The risk, if we broaden the scope too far too quickly, is that we may end up unintentionally driving up premiums for everybody else. We have to take a step-by-step approach, which allows us to deliver the protections now without compromising legal certainty or operational viability.

We heard concerns of enforcement. I reiterate the Government will bring forward amendments on Committee Stage to strengthen enforcement by designating the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman as the appropriate body to handle complaints. This will ensure cancer survivors have a clear and trusted avenue for redress, while hoping they will never have to go down that route. Deputy Collins gave an example of a cancer survivor who, thanks to the Deputy's advocacy in this House, had a matter resolved on the floor of the Dáil. Had it not been resolved here, I reiterate that where any health insurance company fails to offer compensation or payout based on the terms and conditions of the policy, it is open to the policyholder to refer a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman.

We will clarify definitions, remission periods and coverage thresholds, all of which are essential to making this law effective in practice and fair application. It is unfair to say, however, that we are not going far enough in some instances because many countries have not introduced this measure. Even those that have introduced it recent years, such as Italy, the period to be in remission is ten years. In Portugal, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the period is also set at ten years. The only two countries that have introduced this with a shorter period than we have provided are France and Belgium. France introduced this initially with a period of ten years before graduated the period down to eight years and then five years. As I said in my opening contribution, we have looked at international best practice and we did not just pluck figures from the sky. There is reason and rationale for the timeframes we have proposed but we are open to suggestions that may come forward on Committee Stage and we will give them due consideration.

Following the conclusion of Second Stage today, the Bill will proceed to Committee Stage. This will be a critical phase in which the amendments signalled in my opening remarks and raised in today's debate will be formally tabled and debated. The Department of Finance, working closely with the Attorney General's office, is finalising the drafting of these amendments to ensure they are legally robust, aligned with the EU Solvency II rules and operationally sound for insurers and regulators alike. We will also continue to engage with stakeholders, including patient groups and industry representatives, to ensure the Bill strikes the right balance, delivering real protections for survivors while maintaining the integrity of the insurance framework.

Subject to the outcome of Committee and Report Stages, it remains the Government's intention to enact this legislation as quickly as possible. Ultimately, this Bill is a statement of the kind of society we want to be - one that does not define people by their illness, which recognises recovery, resilience and the right to rebuild one's life and which does not let bureaucratic or financial barriers stand in the way of something as fundamental as securing a home. By progressing this legislation, we are not only fulfilling a programme for Government commitment but also honouring the experiences of those who have overcome enormous personal challenge. Let us move forward together with purpose and compassion and hopefully bring this Bill to completion before the end of the year.