I would like to open by expressing our sincere condolences with the family of Saoírse Ruane. Young Saoírse touched the heart of the nation when she appeared on the "Late Late Toy Show" in 2020 and spoke about her experience with cancer. Cancer is a disease that has impacted every family in some manner. We need to do everything possible to work towards a world in which this is not the case. This means we need a strong, funded national cancer strategy. This is a priority of the Oireachtas cross-party group on cancer. March is the month during which we think about and fundraise for cancer, with 22 March being Daffodil Day, the biggest fundraising day for the Irish Cancer Society. I ask the Government to mark 22 March 2024 with an early and firm commitment that there will be an increased and ring-fenced multiannual funding provision for our national cancer strategy in budget 2025 and beyond. Will the Tánaiste make that commitment?

I thank the Deputy for his comments. We spoke earlier about the inspirational legacy that young Saoírse leaves behind. Our sympathies are with Saoírse's family. Since we started national cancer strategies in the late 1990s and through the 2000s, with various levels of progress being made, there has been a transformation in cancer care which has led to a significant reduction in mortality and growing good outcomes for survival of a variety of cancers, which has to be welcomed. This emphasises the need for continuing the strategic approach to health. I refer to the latest publication from the Department of Health, namely, Healthy Ireland, which shows dramatic improvements in respect of treating cancer and heart disease. Those improvements are all because of national strategies. The strategies need to be funded on a multi-annual basis, a move which I would support.