independent.ie– Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that he is hoping to secure an increase in funding for cancer surgery in the upcoming Budget.
Giving the opening address at a virtual surgical conference today, Mr Donnelly said he expected the Irish health service to see an increase in the number of patients presenting with cancer in the coming months.
“We recognise that the numbers coming forward for cancer surgery in the coming period and into next year is likely to continue to increase,” he told medics at NUI Galway’s Sir Peter Freyer Symposium.
“With that in mind, I’ll be hoping to secure further funding for cancer surgery in the Budget process this year, which will apply from January of next year.”
The Budget will be announced by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe in the coming weeks.
In his opening, pre-recorded remarks, Mr Donnelly said that Ireland had entered a new stage of the pandemic.
“There is reason to be hopeful now more and more of our population have completed the vaccination programme,” he said.
Mr Donnelly said the Government was focusing on “addressing the impact of Covid-19 on our health service, including cancer services”.
He said that he was working to implement the National Cancer Strategy, with a focus on improving prevention and early diagnosis.
The Covid-19 pandemic saw a significant disruption to healthcare in Ireland.
