Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The implementation of the National Cancer Strategy is a Programme for Government commitment and is part of the implementation of Sláintecare. As the incidence of cancer continues to increase, it is important that we continue to support cancer patients and cancer treatment services.

We have seen significant progress on the implementation of the Strategy in recent years, with clear evidence-based policy direction from my Department and strong implementation by the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).

Since 2017, there has been an additional investment of €456 million in cancer services, including €81 million on cancer prevention, screening and treatment; €316 million on cancer medicines; and €59 million on cancer research grants through the Health Research Board. The Government has allocated substantial funding of €50 million for national cancer treatment and screening services over the years 2021 to 2023. In the same period, the Government has allocated additional €98 million for new medicines, facilitating the introduction of 61 new cancer medicines.

The funding since 2017 has enabled the recruitment of more than 670 staff to our national cancer services. This includes an additional 200 nursing staff, 100 consultants and 180 health and social care professionals in designated cancer centres. Taken as a whole, this represents a significant investment in the implementation of the aims of the national cancer strategy and providing improved access to cancer care for patients in Ireland.

Funding for current expenditure, including the National Cancer Strategy, is allocated on an annual (single-year) basis through the Estimates process with future levels of funding considered as part of the national estimates and budgetary process.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 aims to modernise and reform stroke services in line with Sláintecare policy and address the challenges facing Ireland from population ageing and the predicted increase in the total number of strokes right across Europe, including Ireland. The strategy provides a blueprint for required investment in stroke services over the five-year period from 2022-2027 and is based on a required overall investment of approximately €36m.

The government is fully committed to supporting improvements and advances in stroke services and has allocated a total of €7.3m to fund the HSE National Stroke Strategy over the last two Budgets which comprises of:

• 2024 Existing Levels of Service (ELS) recurring funding of €3.7m which was allocated for the extension of the GP contract to include primary care-delivered case finding and treatment strategy for Hypertension in over 45-year-olds.
• This was in addition to the €3.6m recurring funding that was allocated in new service developments (NSD) in 2023.
• Separately, in 2023, funding was allocated from existing HSE pay budgets for the recruitment of 24.9 to further the implementation of the strategy. To date 12 WTEs have been recruited.

The funding allocated to the National Stroke Strategy to date has enabled significant new developments such as:

• the expansion of the GP contract to include opportunistic screening of hypertension (a significant risk factor for stroke). This contract is in place and GPs commenced the service in Q1 2024.
• the recruitment of 11.5 posts to support acute stroke units, endovascular thrombectomy centres and has enabled the expansion of ESD teams in the community from 6 to 11 teams (target is 21 ESD teams nationally).
• funding also contributed towards a public awareness campaign to highlight the signs of stroke which we know saves lives and I understand this is on target to launch in Q4 of 2024.

I remain fully committed to making further progress on implementing the stroke strategy and will continue to work with the HSE to ensure its successful implementation to further reduce mortality from stroke, as well as supporting survivors of stroke to live as independently as possible in their communities.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Progressing women's health continues to be a top priority for this Government. We have overseen unprecedented levels of investment in women's health. We have provided for significant funding for gynaecology, endometriosis services, for screening and menopause supports. We have invested in women's mental health services including perinatal mental health.

The National Maternity Strategy is moving into its 9th year. A total of €25.65m in new development funding has been invested from 2016-2022. This has enabled the total recruitment of over 500 full-time staff across the country.

A revised implementation plan for the National Maternity Strategy was published in November 2021. The revised Plan set out all remaining activity in relation to the implementation of Strategy 2022-2026, provided timelines for each action and mapped out the Strategy’s full implementation within the remaining timeframe of the Strategy’s lifetime. At that time, the remainder of the Strategy’s implementation was fully costed at approximately €43.7m.

Significant investment of €16m in 2021 and 2022 provided renewed momentum to the National Maternity Strategy. This has enabled recruitment of over 146 full-time health professionals across maternity services. This investment is funding recruitment across a broad range of specialties of care. Over 70 midwives and nurses. 23 health and social care professionals. 7 consultants, and a range of supporting staff.

These staff, and this investment, improve women’s lives every day.

The implementation of the strategy's Model of Care is providing more choice for women. All 19 maternity services now offer the midwife-led supported care pathway. Each maternity service now has a lactation consultant and bereavement team.

Strategy funding is providing for additional home-from-home birthing suites. It is also enabling upgrades to theatres and wards.

Furthermore, through Strategy funding, a maternity network has been set up within each Hospital Group to provide leadership and support. Training and education supports have been strengthened for maternity staff.

Investment through the Strategy and eHealth Capital Plan is also driving the roll-out of the Maternity and Newborn Clinical Management System (MN-CMS), which is a full Electronic Health Record. The MN-CMS is currently live in 4 sites, covering 40% of births nationally.

To support the Strategy, this Government has also invested in postnatal hubs. Hubs have already been established in Kerry, Cork, Portiuncula, and in Sligo. These hubs are providing postnatal care within the community; a priority identified by women in the National Maternity Experience Survey and in our Sláintecare objectives. This year I announced further funding, amounting to a full year cost of €1.9m in 2025, to open two further postnatal hubs.

Furthermore, I have directed over €1.3m of investment to establishing a National Perinatal Genomics Service; evaluating, diagnosing, managing and treating anomalies before birth.

Entering the final three years of the National Maternity Strategy, 94% of Strategy actions are either completed or in progress. These new developments are supporting improved choice for women. They are driving safe, high quality, nationally consistent, woman-centred maternity care.