Questions

1954. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health her plans for upgrading Cork University Hospital/University College Cork, which is certified as a cancer centre by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, to the higher designation of comprehensive cancer centre accreditation, as recommended in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026,…

1955. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the current status of the national radiation therapy machine replacement programme, given that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026 the Irish Radiation Oncology Advocacy Group reported in October 2025 that nearly 75% of linear accelerator machines in publ…

1956. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, CervicalCheck five-year participation rates in the period ending March 2023 varied from 66% in County Laois to 82% in County Carlow, with only three counties meeting the National Screening Service target of 80% set out…

1957. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the implementation of the National Adult Palliative Care Policy launched by her Department in September 2024, including the allocation of the €2 million set aside for initial rollout in 2024; the steps being taken to reach the European Association for Palliative Care benchmark of two specialised palliative care services per 100,000 in…

1958. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the timeline for extending the National Genomic Test Directory, which was launched in January 2025 initially covering rare and inherited diseases, to include oncology testing, as recommended in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026; and if she will make a statement on …

1959. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, drawing on Cancer Trials Ireland data, only approximately 1.5% of cancer patients in Ireland were enrolled in interventional clinical trials in 2023, well below the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 target of 6%; what…

1960. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, drawing on National Doctors Training and Planning data, approvals for new consultant posts fell sharply from 305 in 2022 to 266 in 2023 and to 148 in 2024; what action is being taken to reverse this decline given its p…

1961. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the steps being taken to address the €180 million estimated funding gap in the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 between 2017 and 2024, as identified by the Irish Cancer Society and referenced in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, which cites…

535. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied) who having had a mastectomy in July 2022, was referred to University Hospital Cork for a procedure and has yet to receive an appointment to have this surgery completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40941/26]

538. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health further to the recent comments of the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance (details supplied), for details of the strategic infrastructure programme to plan for replacement and expansion at public radiation oncology services currently under development. [40968/26]

1169. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health if the HSE is considering funding the use of 'focal therapy' for the treatment of prostate cancer; the timeline for a decision on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38934/26]

289. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses delivering chemotherapy treatment at each of the relevant hospitals in HSE Dublin and North East; to provide a comparison with the optimum staffing required to ensure timely access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38243/26]

290. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses delivering chemotherapy treatment at each of the relevant hospitals in HSE Dublin and Midlands; to provide a comparison with the optimum staffing required to ensure timely access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38244/26]

291. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses delivering chemotherapy treatment at each of the relevant hospitals in HSE Dublin and South East; to provide a comparison with the optimum staffing required to ensure timely access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38245/26]

292. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses delivering chemotherapy treatment at each of the relevant hospitals in HSE Mid West; to provide a comparison with the optimum staffing required to ensure timely access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38246/26]

293. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses delivering chemotherapy treatment at each of the relevant hospitals in HSE South West; to provide a comparison with the optimum staffing required to ensure timely access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38247/26]

294. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses delivering chemotherapy treatment at each of the relevant hospitals in HSE West and North West; to provide a comparison with the optimum staffing required to ensure timely access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38248/26]

296. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide further details on the strategic infrastructure programme; to plan for replacement and expansion at public radiation oncology services (details supplied), including timelines on the development of this programme; the details of the stakeholders that will be involved in the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38250/26]

1184. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if urgent medical treatment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37471/26]

227. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health to include high intensity focused ultrasound in the public healthcare system for those suffering with prostate cancer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35412/26]

228. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health her current plans to improve prostate cancer treatment pathways to reflect international best practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35413/26]

1053. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health when the recommendations of a report (details supplied) will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34232/26]

854. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health if her Department plans to establish a rapid access pancreatic cancer diagnostic clinic to ensure assessment within two weeks of referral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31971/26]

855. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to reduce delays in diagnostic tests for suspected pancreatic cancer and to standardise pathways nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31972/26]

856. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health if she will introduce a national awareness campaign on the early signs of pancreatic cancer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31973/26]