Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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773. To ask the Minister for Health when her Department intends to begin the development of the next national cancer strategy, given that the current strategy is due to expire at the end of 2026; and to provide details on the process that will be followed, including any planned stakeholder engagement or consultation phases. [27593/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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My Department has invested heavily in the National Cancer Strategy and associated initiatives in recent years, enabling the further development of our national cancer services, and leading to improved outcomes for cancer patients.

National Cancer Registry of Ireland data shows substantial progress being made to control the four major cancers (prostate, breast, lung and colorectal), with mortality rates falling or stabilising for each. These comprise over half of all invasive tumours (not including rarely fatal non-melanoma skin cancers).

The Government is committed to the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy, supported by the reforms and investment delivered under Sláintecare. We have seen significant progress on the implementation of the Strategy over the past eight years. The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 Implementation Report 2024 which tracks the overall progress of the Strategy is currently being prepared, and it is expected that this Report will be published in Q2, 2025.

It is essential that we continue to build on our investment and progress by continuing our focus on further designation and centralisation of services. As the current National Cancer Strategy ends in 2026 an evaluation on the current National Cancer Strategy will be carried out later this year. This will inform the next steps to be taken.

My Department is committed to the full implementation of the National Cancer Strategy, and will continue to work with the National Cancer Control Programme and stakeholders to progress the actions contained in the strategy. Until satisfactory work has been completed on actions contained in the current strategy, and because the evaluation of the strategy has not concluded, it would not be appropriate to begin work on a new strategy.