Report says cancer death rates not dropping

Cancer death rates have not declined in Ireland since the 1980s, according to a new report carried out by the European Institute of Oncology.

Despite the Government's target of cutting the incidence of cancer cases by 15%, no progress has been made, according to the report.

Compared to Ireland, only Greece, Portugal and Spain had worse results.

Minister for Health, Micheál Martin, has dismissed the findings and said that mortality rates here fell by 7% between 1985 and 2000.