Cancer Services: Motion [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-24
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David Cullinane (SF), Waterford

First of all, I will correct something I said in my opening remarks when I was talking about chemotherapy patients in Cavan. In fact, 100% of those were seen on time; it was in Waterford that 66% of patients were seen on time, which means 33% were not. For radiotherapy, 98% of patients in Waterford were treated on time, compared to just 67% in St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network, which covers Dublin, the east and the midlands. They are two examples of the postcode lottery I was talking about.
I thank everybody for their contributions. There were some really strong contributions. People told stories of their personal experiences of cancer and of their family members' experiences. My mother died of cancer and it was a very long year for my family having to watch her suffer as she did. She showed tremendous resilience and did not show any emotions. Maybe when she was alone she did, but when she was with us, she was really strong. I got that from every contribution that was made. Deputy Gould spoke about how family members were very often the ones who feel it most.
I feel passionately about cancer services because they were and still are one of the areas where this State is doing well. Nowhere in the motion does it not recognise that there is a lot of good work being done. I said that in my opening contribution. I am blown away by the healthcare services given by first-class healthcare professionals in cancer care. I see it in every hospital I visit: the research done; the facilities in some hospitals; the staff who provide the services, from oncologists to nurses, radiation therapists and so on; robotic technology; and AI, which is now going to become a feature.
We are seeing huge innovation, changes and progression in cancer care, which is fantastic. That has to be matched by a Government and political system that back that up and provide the supports and resources that are needed. Far too often, hospitals are not getting those supports. If we have expensive hospital equipment lying idle part of the time because we do not have the staff, that does not make sense. That is an inefficiency. People look at that and ask what is going on when they are waiting and waiting for access to chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery.
The figures in the motion came from the HSE through parliamentary questions. In some surgeries, we have slippage, we are not meeting the targets and more and more patients are not being seen as quickly as they should be. Those gold-standard targets of 20 to 25 days set for access to surgery, for example, and even less for a diagnostic scan, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, are things we should be proud of and should not be allowed to slip. They are targets we should try to make sure we meet. In some hospitals, they do not have the equipment or staff.
The motion does not state the cancer strategy was not funded, but it was not given new development funding for half of the lifetime of the previous strategy. For five years, it got some funding, piecemeal as it was. For the other five years, it got no funding. That is a matter of fact and I think that is wrong. That is why multi-annual ring-fenced funding is so important. It is so that the health service can plan. Reducing the cost of care for patients is important, which is why abolishing the car parking charges and more discretionary cards are needed.
The motion is about a new national cancer strategy. That is what we need. I will certainly work with the Government. Everybody in this House wants to achieve the best possible outcome for every cancer patient.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:03+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-24