Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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975. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons who are more than three months overdue for their annual post-surgery mammogram for breast cancer survivors. [39491/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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976. To ask the Minister for Health the date on which she plans to commence the evaluation of the current National Cancer Strategy; if this review will be carried out by her Department, the HSE or another body; if she will engage with key stakeholders as part of this process; if a new National Cancer Strategy will be published by the end of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39493/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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 Q3 of 2025.

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).

It is essential that we continue to build on our investment and progress. 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. Evaluation will be carried out by my Department working closely with key stakeholders such as the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme and the National Cancer Registry of Ireland.

Stakeholders include patients and their families, healthcare professionals, government agencies, research institutions, advocacy groups, and the pharmaceutical industry, among others. These stakeholders will also play a major role in informing the next strategy. Public health strategies are normally finalised and published in the year they begin, so we can expect the National Cancer Strategy 2027-2036 to be published in 2027.

I will continue to work with the National Cancer Control Programme and other 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 has not concluded, it would not be appropriate to set deadlines on completion of a new strategy.