Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
225. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health her plans to address infrastructure and capacity deficits for cancer services as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28468/26]
View answerI am committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates, and timely access to treatments.
This Government has invested more than €105m in cancer services under the National Cancer Strategy, including €23 million in 2025. Over 670 staff have been recruited to cancer services under the current strategy. State of the art radiation oncology centres opened in Cork and Galway in 2019 and 2023 respectively, representing €120 million capital investment.
Under the National Plan for Radiation Oncology (NPRO), an equipment replacement programme is currently in place across St Lukes Rathgar, St. James’s Hospital campus and Beaumont Hospital along with a phased expansion at Beaumont. This programme will replace linear accelerators at St Luke's that were installed between 2008 and 2016. The replacement programme is being progressed under the National Development Plan and is included in the Capital Plan 2026 and the Health Sectoral Plan 2026 -2030.
Significant Government investment is being provided to expand healthcare education provision from 2025–2026 as a key part of addressing future supply of healthcare professionals and ensuring Ireland can meet growing healthcare needs.
Department of Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the HSE, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.
In November 2025, I published the Department of Health’s [Sectoral Plan for 2026-2030] under the National Development Plan (NDP). The Sectoral Plan sets out infrastructure investment priorities for the next five years, building on a strong track record of delivery to support the provision of equitable, accessible and high-quality healthcare across Ireland.
This includes planned investment in cancer care infrastructure and in 2026, we will:
• Support the commitment in the Programme for Government, as set out in the National Development Plan 2021–2030, for the development of cancer centres, including Galway, to enhance services in the West and Northwest region.
• Submit planning permission for the Oncology Day Unit at Cavan General Hospital, and progress the design of units at Tallaght University Hospital, Kerry University Hospital, and the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore.
• Continue to support the development of Aseptic Compounding Units at Cork University Hospital and Cavan General Hospital.
• Progress the design of a new Aseptic Compounding Unit at Mayo University Hospital and proceed to tender for a unit at Letterkenny University Hospital.
• Advance the Shared Island co-funded Daisy Lodge paediatric cancer care respite project in Mayo, which is due to commence on site in 2026.
• Progress national cancer infrastructure planning for oncology day wards, inpatient oncology, cancer diagnostics, and outreach and community cancer service delivery, consistent with Sláintecare and the National Cancer Strategy.
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