Sinn Féin claims Government 'deliberately made a choice' to underfund cancer services

The Tánaiste Micheál Martin replied that 'Our mortality rate for all cancers dropped by 11% over the past 10 years'

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty told the Dáil: 'And a plan without action is not a plan. It is just words and words are no comfort to somebody languishing on a waiting list for a cancer test getting more worried day by day.'

The Government has been accused of “deliberately underfunding” cancer services in Ireland which has had “disastrous consequences for patient safety”.

During Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil on Thursday, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty told Tánaiste Micheál Martin that cancer services need multi-annual funding and proper workforce planning that has been absent.

“They are deliberate decisions,” he said. “Your government made a deliberate choice not to have proper workforce planning. Your government deliberately made a choice in the Budget to underfund the service as you have done in previous years.

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“And a plan without action is not a plan. It is just words and words are no comfort to somebody languishing on a waiting list for a cancer test getting more worried day by day.” 

It comes after the Irish Cancer Society warned that cancer survival rates are unlikely to improve due to the current rate of underfunding.

In response to the Sinn Féin finance spokesperson, the Tánaiste said there has been a “very, very significant improvement” in cancer care in this country over the last few years. “Our mortality rate for all cancers dropped by 11% over the past 10 years,” Mr Martin said.

“I think it's an extra €7.7bn [for the HSE] on the 2019 figures being provided. Just because the HSE or any agency comes in and says ‘we want x’, is it your policy that you give everything that people ask for and you don’t ask about value for money, or for efficiency?” 

Gaza

Labour leader Ivana Bacik asked Mr Martin about the situation in Gaza and asked the Government to commit to enacting the Occupied Territories Bill.

“The Israeli government's contempt for international law does require countries like ours to take stronger actions to compel compliance,” she said. “Actions like the passage of trade sanction bills, like the Occupied Territories Bill.” 

Mr Martin outlined measures Ireland was taking along with other EU countries on the situation in Gaza, and added that he had written to Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the West Bank and Gaza, who recently said Ireland had done “nothing” in practice despite being outspoken on the situation.

“And she seemed to be unaware of certain measures we had already taken in respect of Gaza,” he said. “And we regretted the fact that she sought no meeting with us, which is normal with UN rapporteurs who would meet with officials of Government departments.”