Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to describe the extensive investment and reform programme which the Government has been promoting under the national cancer strategy, particularly since the launch of the health strategy in November 2001, and to set out the current position on cancer services nationally.

The Government is committed to the development of co-ordinated and patient-focused cancer treatment. The health strategy signifies the clear and high priority which my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, attaches to cancer and cancer care as part of the overall health system. The first national goal of Better Health for Everyone contains a number of critical objectives on cancer care and significant progress has already been made on many of them.

An effective cancer care policy must be multi-faceted, broadly based and address the major influences which impact cancer incidence and mortality. The main elements of a cancer policy include health promotion, prevention, primary care and acute and palliative care services. All these services have benefited from investment and improvement.