Seanad debates

Wednesday, 16 April 2003

Cancer Treatment Services: Statements (Resumed).

 

As everybody knows, €27 million is a relatively small amount by comparison with what is being spent under other budget headings. People would point to sport, in particular. I do not begrudge expenditure on sport, but we must get our priorities right in that regard. In a previous debate on the need for breast cancer screening, I quoted a figure which the BreastCheck organisation had given me to the effect that in the 55 to 65 age group in North Tipperary alone, there are currently 45 undetected cancers. Accordingly, in the 22 months interval before the screening programme is rolled out, there will be 90 undetected cancers. I hope all of those will be detected by the screening programme. This indicates the urgency of the situation, the importance of screening and the value for money which it provides. Clearly, early detection of cancer will result in substantially less expenditure on medical care and expertise, quite apart from the personal, family and community trauma associated with the later detection of the condition at a stage when it could be fatal.

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