Following a mixed report card for Ireland from the European Commission Country Cancer profiles, the Irish Cancer Society is calling on the new Minister for Health to prioritise improvements in cancer care. In particular, it is calling for expanded screening services, shorter waiting times for cancer tests and treatment and faster access to new medicines. 

This year’s report card for Ireland shows some positives including:  

• Ireland outperforms most EU countries in managing key risk factors for cancer, such as tobacco use

• Alcohol consumption in Ireland has fallen and is slightly under EU average

• Of those eligible for breast and cervical cancer screening, participation is higher in Ireland than the EU average. 

Areas of concern included: 

• We had the second highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the EU in 2022

• While Ireland’s cancer mortality rate declined significantly between 2011 and 2021, it remains higher than the EU average and third highest in Western Europe

• The supply of diagnostic equipment, such as MRI and CTI scanners, is significantly lower than the EU average 

• Vaping rates among 15-24 year-olds have increased dramatically since 2015

• Irish patients have access to a narrower range of new oncology medicines than the EU average.  

Averil Power, chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, said that the data highlighted that those with cancer were worse off in lreland that in many other EU states. 

“It must serve as a wake-up call to government. Without urgent action, both individuals and the State face an enormous cancer burden in the coming years. Much of this could be avoided by tackling the delays in diagnosis and treatment that are Ireland’s biggest obstacle to improved cancer outcome,” she added.