Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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An analysis by the national cancer registry of treatment data for the years 1994 to 2001 for the commonest cancers showed that treatment rates for chemotherapy and radiotherapy and, to a lesser extent surgery, declined with age.

Information on reasons for treatment choices in Ireland is limited. However, lower rates of cancer treatment in older patients have been widely reported from many countries. This decline in treatment rates with age is multifactorial. Older patients tend to present at a later stage with cancer, when curative treatment may not be an option. Older people often have additional medical conditions that are associated with age such as respiratory, cardiac and renal conditions. These conditions can limit treatment options for cancer. Cancer is often a less aggressive disease in older people. In some cases decisions are required in consultation with patients which balance stress of treatment with possible benefits.

The Government is committed to making a full range of cancer services available and accessible to cancer patients, including elderly patients, throughout Ireland in line with best international standards.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she will take regarding the 500 patients awaiting treatment in Ireland's only hospital based obesity clinic in St. Columcille Hospital; if her attention has been drawn to the estimates in view of the fact that up to 30 patients on the waiting list could die if the necessary funding is not put in place; the methods she will implement to combat Ireland's obesity epidemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28801/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the numbers of people awaiting treatment and the necessary funding of hospitals. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

The report of the national task force on obesity, published in May of this year, includes recommendations for the clinical management of obesity in adults and children. An implementation strategy for this report is currently being developed by my Department to progress the implementation of the recommendations.