Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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604. To ask the Minister for Health the number of instances recorded of the various forms of cancer on a county basis throughout the country in each of the past ten years to date in 2014, the extent to which particular form of the disease appears to be on the increase or decline; if particular action is required on foot of the figures; the extent to which survival rates for each form of the disease has been identified; if a particular region has been affected to a greater or lesser extent in terms of both infection, diagnosis, recovery and survival; if areas of the country affected by fallout from Chernobyl have been identified in any findings; the extent of any particular action required arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41088/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) publishes data on cancer incidence, treatment and survival in Ireland. This data can be accessed on the NCRI website (). Information on this site includes incidence of all invasive cancers in Ireland by county, 1994 - 2011. While survival figures are not available county-level, the survival data published by the NCRI shows the trend of ongoing improvements in overall cancer survival and in respect of individual cancer types. Regional variations in survival are not statistically significant. Definitive data on the consequences from Chernobyl are not available.

Long-term survival from cancer has greatly increased in the past decade. Survival at five years from diagnosis has gone from 42% in 1994-1999 to 60% in 2005-2009 in men and from 52% to 62% over the same period in women. Breast cancer five year survival is estimated at 84.9% for people diagnosed between 2005-2009, up from 75.1% for people diagnosed between 1994-1999.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 30% of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding key risk factors. Tobacco use is considered to be the single most important risk factor for cancer.

My Department and the HSE are promoting healthier lifestyles to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including cancer. Policies include the achievement of aTobacco Free Ireland by 2025.

In line with A Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland (2006),the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) was established to reorganise cancer services and to achieve better outcomes for patients. My Department and the NCCP work to reduce the incidence of cancer and cancer deaths, through initiatives in areas such as prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment. Targeted programmes, such as cancer screening and the HPV vaccine, also aim to reduce the risk of cancer.