Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move:

“That Seanad Éireann:

notes:

- the success of the National Cancer Strategies since their inception;

- there are more people surviving cancer in Ireland than ever;

- the importance of screening programmes such as BreastCheck and BowelScreen;

- the success of the HPV immunisation programme;

- the work of the National Cancer Registry Ireland; -one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime;

- that unfortunately one in three of us will die from cancer;

- based on the most recent EU data available, Ireland has the third highest mortality rate from cancer in Western Europe;

- lower survival rates from cancer in the West of Ireland compared to the national average;

acknowledges that:

- the work and advocacy of the Irish Cancer Society, the largest voluntary funder of cancer research in Ireland;

- the generosity and fundraising of cancer survivors, their families, friends and of Irish people in general for cancer charities;

- Government commitment to continue to discourage smoking and new measures to discourage vaping;

- the work of the network of Community Cancer Support Centres nationwide;

- the funding of €3 million provided in Budget 2024 to support the work of these centres;

calls for:

- continued investment and monitoring of the National Cancer Strategy;

- consultation in advance of a new National Cancer Strategy;

- the inclusion of the Head of the National Cancer Control Programme on the HSE Leadership Team to ensure cancer treatment receives the focus required;

- the expansion of the age ranges for cancer screening programmes, including BreastCheck (to 45 to 74 years of age), BowelScreen (to 50 to 74 years of age) and the introduction of new screening programmes for prostate, lung and gastric cancers;

- the resourcing and staffing of diagnostic services so that the Sláintecare targets for testing waiting times (e.g., no more than 10 days for a diagnostic test) are met;

- meeting the co-funding target for the Night Nursing Service for cancer patients of at least half of the cost of this vital service;

- improved participation in cancer research and trials with additional staffing, including nursing and administrative staff, for trials in Ireland;

- continued investment in single occupancy rooms within hospitals, to reduce the risk of infections;

- a new national cancer centre for the West of Ireland, within the grounds of University Hospital Galway with dedicated beds for cancer patients;

- additional funding in Budget 2025 for the network of Community Cancer Support Centres nationwide; and

- multi-annual funding for cancer support centres nationwide.”

I move this motion in the name of Fine Gael Senators. I will share my time with Senator Martin Conway. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke, and I acknowledge the presence of Averil Power, a former Member of this House and currently CEO of the Irish Cancer Society. I thank her for her advocacy and support on this issue. Ms Power was before us at the health committee in April and that was followed by a meeting with all 26 of the network of cancer support centres nationwide. I will speak to that in a moment.

The national cancer strategy is hugely important. It is fair to say that since its inception it has saved lives over a long number of years. More people are, thankfully, surviving cancer in Ireland than ever before. Because of the strategy and the funding of the strategy, particularly in earlier years, such programmes as BreastCheck, Bowel Screen, and the HPV immunisation programme have revolutionised healthcare and cancer care in the State. Unfortunately, one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime - and I will touch wood on that. Unfortunately, one in three of us will die from cancer.

Based on the most recent EU data available Ireland has the third highest mortality rate from cancer in western Europe. Speaking as someone from the west of Ireland, we have lower survival rates from cancer in the west of Ireland compared to the national average. I acknowledge Professor Michael Kerin and his advocacy. Professor Kerin always highlights this unfortunate statistic on survival rates from cancer in the west of Ireland. Part of the issue in the west of Ireland is the lack of a fit-for-purpose national cancer centre. There is now agreement on the development of a national cancer centre in the west on the grounds of the University Hospital Galway. It is part of a current design that will include other facilities such as new laboratories, a ward block, an emergency department and a pediatric and maternity unit. It is welcome that there is at least commitment to develop that and we hope to see progress on the national cancer centre for the west based in University Hospital Galway over the coming years. This is hugely important because every part of the country deserves the best facilities, the best treatment, the best care, and the best and equal chances of surviving cancer.

I acknowledge the work and advocacy of the Irish Cancer Society, which is the largest voluntary funder of cancer research in Ireland. I acknowledge also the work and the charity of the Irish people, of cancer survivors and their families, of their loved ones and of their neighbours who around this country will go to great lengths, be it for Daffodil Day or coffee mornings and various other projects and initiatives that take place to fund cancer research in the State. They are to be commended. This is giving back to the Irish Cancer Society and also to the community organisations such as in my own area with Cancer Care West with the wonderful facilities in Inis Aoibhinn in the grounds of University Hospital Galway, where free of charge they provide accommodation for those travelling long distances - be it from Donegal or Sligo - to Galway for cancer treatment.

The network of community cancer support centres nationwide do tremendous work. They were in before the health committee a number of weeks ago and they would like to acknowledge the funding that was provided by the Minister for Health and the Government in the last budget for 2024 of €3 million. It was classed as once-off funding but certainly I believe that this should not be once-off funding. It cannot be just once-off funding. We need to show a commitment to have at least €3 million - or possibly up to €5 million - to support the community cancer centres nationwide. I spoke to the CEO of Cancer Care West, Mr. Richard Flaherty, at the committee and I asked at what point do people look for and contact their services. He said that it varies. It can be the individual who hears the news "You have cancer" and immediately reaches out, in some cases before they even talk to family, to try to process what this means. There are other individuals at the early stages of treatment or post treatment who need to reach out. These services are part of the voluntary and community sector. More people are surviving, and living with and beyond cancer, but there are impacts. Community cancer centres provide information, psychological support, survivorship programmes, complementary therapies, exercise and relaxation classes, support groups, financial advice and drop-in services. All of that is positive in relation to what can be very difficult and challenging news for anybody who is diagnosed with cancer in this country.

The numbers show that some 42,000 people will get cancer in Ireland every year. That is an anticipated increase of 100% in the number of cancer diagnoses by 2040 compared to 2015. Thankfully, people are living longer so later in life they may develop cancer but that is still a staggeringly high figure. Unfortunately, in 2023 there were 10,380 people who died from cancer. Ireland has the third highest mortality rate from cancer in western Europe and Ireland's ranking in mortality compared to EU average is 13th. There are now 215,000 people in Ireland who are living beyond a cancer diagnosis. Every three minutes a person in Ireland is told "You have cancer". Those are some of the statistics we have on something that impacts so many families and so many communities across our country every year. While the national cancer strategy has worked, the argument could be made that the next stages will be more difficult. We have seen the level of commitment by successive Governments to combatting smoking, and now vaping, and the harmful effects of nicotine products on people's health. There is still more to do in regard to cancer services. The Irish Cancer Society, which held a briefing today in Buswells Hotel, has said we need an additional €20 million in 2025 in new and recurrent funding for the national cancer strategy. It has called for an assessment of the funding needs of cancer services above that extra €20 million per annum minimum funding level to ensure full implementation of the national cancer strategy by 2026. It has also called for the ending of the recruitment embargo by allocating the necessary funding to fill crucial healthcare sector posts based on up-to-date workforce plans.

There was some good news today in regard to the embargo on the recruitment of healthcare staff. The Minister of State might have some further information on that. I hope some of the new posts will be in oncology services. At the briefing by the Irish Cancer Society earlier, I met individuals from the west who talked of the need for more radiation therapists. It goes back to first basics. The numbers in our third level colleges need to increase. There are capacity issues. There must be funding of teaching posts to allow for an increase in radiation therapists, whether in Trinity College or elsewhere, or by way of dedicated programmes, if they can be developed, in, for example, the University of Galway. That is something the Minister of State might pursue, as I and others will, with the Minister for further and higher education. The Departments need to collaborate on the provision of additional posts in this area. It is hugely important that we ensure there are sufficient numbers working in our hospitals. There has been major investment in radiation equipment in many locations. It is a shame if that equipment is lying idle, as it is in some cases, for want of radiation therapists. We must ensure this issue is progressed and solved. It is eminently solvable with funding and planning. It may require a certain lead-in time but a difference can be made to the situation we face.

The motion calls for the inclusion of the head of the national cancer control programme in the HSE leadership team to ensure cancer treatment receives the required focus. If that can be considered, it would be a positive step towards acknowledging the importance of cancer services and screenings. There is also a need to look at the expansion of age ranges for cancer screening programmes, including BreastCheck and BowelScreen, and the introduction of new screening programmes for prostate, lung and gastric cancers. These would be positive developments that would assist in the earlier detection of cancer.

As the Acting Chairperson has indicated my time is up, I will give way to my colleague Senator Conway.