Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion. I welcome the Minister of State. From working with him for many years, I know his commitment to this area. I thank our good friend and colleague, Senator Kyne, for the work he has done on this motion. I echo his commendation of Professor Kerin and all the people in the west of Ireland who do such phenomenal work.

This motion is important because it seeks fairness and geographical equality in the treatment of cancer. I acknowledge the thousands of volunteers who help out in this area, including those volunteering in hospitals and the people who drive patients to their chemotherapy and radium treatments. They do that in their own time. I acknowledge the thousands of people associated with Daffodil Day who work with our former colleague Averil Power. Her organisation does phenomenal work. However, really and truly, such voluntary efforts should not be needed. We must move to a situation where we do not rely on volunteers, particularly on the west coast, including in the Acting Chairperson's county, my county and Senator Kyne's county. All along the coast, people living in places like Ennistymon, Moycullen and places in west Limerick have to travel for their treatment. I fully support the plans to develop a cancer centre in the west. It is absolutely necessary.

I acknowledge the great work being done in cancer care provision. I did not agree with a lot of what the former Minister for Health, Mary Harney, did over the years. The one point on which I did agree with her was in regard to the establishment of centres of excellence. Those centres have worked. They have saved thousands of lives and they continue to save lives. However, we can and should do better. We need to be fair to people in rural Ireland. People living in Dublin do not really have an understanding that those living in rural areas may have to do a two-hour trip to receive chemotherapy treatment and another two-hour trip home. That is not the case in Dublin and the other cities. We need a lot more supports for people in rural areas, including overnight provision and hospitality supports.

The motion is designed to put these issues on the agenda. I fully support the screening programmes. There have been many challenges and difficulties in that area over the years. Tragically, people lost their lives because their diagnosis was missed and so on. Overall, however, the screening programmes have saved thousands of lives. I fully support Senator Kyne's point about introducing further screening programmes for cancers of the bowel, prostate and so on. There is not a family in this country that has not been touched by cancer. We owe it to our loved ones who have suffered from cancer, some of whom have died from it, to ensure we provide the best possible practical support to people diagnosed with that unfortunate disease.

The national cancer strategy is a good strategy but it probably does need to be updated. I am interested to hear the Minister of State's views in that regard. There should be no need for fundraisers to pay for petrol for volunteers who take people to clinics for treatment. We are a better society than that and we should do better.

I acknowledge the wonderful work being done in County Clare by Sláinte an Chláir and by Mary, who set it up 15 years ago. I recently attended the organisation's 15th anniversary celebrations in Ennis. It does what the State should be doing. The most important service it offers is providing emotional support. Unfortunately, not everybody has a family network. There are people living alone who contract cancer. Sláinte an Chláir gives invaluable support to people in that situation. It provides them with a home in the organisation's house in Kilnamona, which is 5 km or 6 km outside Ennis. The support it gives to elderly people in particular, who may be widowed or whatever, is absolutely phenomenal. The organisation receives Government support but most of its funding comes through fundraising. The Acting Chairperson will agree with me about the importance of the service provided in Raheen and Milford. The support provided by hospice services is absolutely incredible. We can never thank those involved enough or give them enough acknowledgement.

I am delighted to second the motion. I thank Senator Kyne for the work he has done on it. The Minister of State understands these issues. I know he is deeply committed to improving services and supports.