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week's session of the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, we had a profound contribution from the All-Island Cancer Research Institute and the All-Island Congenital Heart Disease Network. It highlighted once again what we have known for some time, namely, that lives

criteria and to develop recommendations for a way forward. The pilot, which was led by researchers in Beaumont and the RCSI with support from the EU, the Irish Cancer Society and my Department, is under way. It has issued a call for proposals to advance research in this

There is a cancer centre at Altnagelvin. I do not know if the Deputy has seen that. The Republic provided a lot of funding for that. There are also other services. I am all for that. We are researching whether we can provide better primary care services North

diagnose and treat cancer. A new bioprocess becomes a new regional employer. For everything there is a catalyst and then there is a reaction, and often there is a chain reaction leading on to the applications and impact of the research and the science, as well

signed up to support. I also favour decriminalisation and the possible legalisation of medical cannabis. Constituents of mine who have been diagnosed with cancer would like to be able to use it as an easier measure. It has been shown it can help with appetite and anxiety … through chemo. It is something I will continue to push for. In the meantime, drug use has been exploding. In 2024, the Health Research Board reported that cocaine accounted for 40% of all treatment cases. We are also seeing a dangerous increase in potency and synthetics. Going back

good to hear that the Minister is well disposed to putting more research into it and trying to assess whether it is an appropriate screening programme. We know from international evidence, including from the UK, the US and across the EU, that low-dose screening reduces mortality, particularly … history. Having said that, I also know that many people who are not traditionally in this high-risk group are presenting with lung cancer and sometimes at quite a late stage. From ongoing work here in Ireland, we also know that there is a stigma around lung cancer

money. They are all people who can be allocated not just to people with cancer, but people who have cancer with other things. This is the new money and the new investment. The distribution of that, which is what the Deputy is asking for, will be apparent … this year 1 of a change. There will still be funding for the strategy itself, which of course is different. It is about research, programming and strategy. That is slightly different from the delivery of services, which we all understand, and that will be apparent. We have