Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to introduce legislation in order that the national cancer registry can be integrated with the national cancer control programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32170/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In November 2006 I informed the Board of the National Cancer Registry (NCR) that I had decided that its functions should form part of the Health Service Executive's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). Following the appointment of the National Director of the NCCP the position was reviewed and it was agreed to postpone the integration of the NCR into the HSE until the roll out of Programme was at a more advanced stage.

It remains policy to integrate the NCR into the NCCP. The transfer is subject to my Department being satisfied in relation to a number of caveats, including the maintenance and development of the Register, the development of the cancer surveillance functions of the Registry, the development of an effective and integrated national approach to data collection and analysis and that human resource issues are adequately addressed. Consideration is being given to providing for integration of Registry functions into the HSE's NCCP in the context of the proposed Health Information Bill, which will address the issue of confidentiality and national registries.