Health reform and cancer inequality
Senator Hayden seeks debate on mortgage-lending regulation and health-system reform, citing stark cancer-mortality differences between poorer and wealthier communities; the Chair also welcomes a visitor.
They were all wonderful people. I again ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on the statement by the Governor of the Central Bank on mortgage lending. The report is to be finished by January and this House needs to have its say on the matter.
The Irish Cancer Society issued a report today which brought to public attention a map prepared by NUI Maynooth which indicates that the incidence of cancer has a direct correlation with where one lives. The map shows that the death rate in some of the poorer communities in north Dublin is three times higher than in more affluent neighbourhoods 2 km down the road. In parts of north Dublin there is one GP for every 2,500 people, in comparison to more affluent neighbourhoods nearby where the ratio is 1:1,600. The society asked that health inequalities in cancer be recognised in the new ten-year national cancer strategy. I ask the House to take that on board.
