Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I was struck by the reference in Professor Gallagher's opening statement to the expected doubling of cancer incidence among our citizens in the next two decades. What is driving that? I assume the professor is talking about an increase in instances of cancer and not just improved detection and the fact that we are catching more cancers. Part of me is wondering what we should be doing. I am thinking of environmental impacts, social determinants of health, prevention and all those kinds of public policy things. Our guests are doing their best to use research to tackle cancer, and research is the enemy of cancer, but it seems as if some things we are not addressing are the friends of cancer. I appreciate that some of this may reflect public policy that is outside the direct remit of our guests. However, I was struck by that point.

I would love some more information on that.

I am also curious about the HPV vaccine and the general take-up and roll-out of it. There has been a growth in conspiracy and concern around vaccines and a turn away from them despite their life-saving efficacy. Will the witnesses speak to that? I appreciate that may be more about delivery and on a slightly more micro level than they are at.

I am worried that I have asked one question that is too macro and one that is too micro. I have one question that should be just right. The witness spoke quite disturbingly about the impact of Brexit and how it just seems to be missing from the thinking around the protocol. One of the things I have been thinking about is data sharing. Data sharing is a key component of the research. While the UK has an adequacy decision from the European Union in terms of general data protection regulation, GDPR, and data sharing, this comes with many provisos and reviews. We have seen the British Government talk about revising and moving away from the European standard, which very quickly could lead to a situation where the adequacy decision is revoked and data sharing becomes difficult. Are the witnesses concerned about or prepared for that? Will they speak to that issue?