Oireachtas Cross-Party Group on Cancer

The Oireachtas Cross-Party Group on Cancer meets a few times a year, discussing key issues of concern to people affected by cancer, hearing directly from cancer patients, and working together to improve cancer services. 

The Group provides a powerful voice in the Oireachtas for those affected by cancer, and in addressing the public policy challenges faced by cancer patients, healthcare workers, cancer research and the delivery of cancer services. 

Membership of the Oireachtas Cross-Party Group for the 34th Dáil will be announced in the coming months. 

• The impact of COVID on cancer services (March 2021), speakers on the issue included, Professor Solange Peters, Professor Seamus O’Reilly and an Irish Cancer Society Advocacy Volunteer. 

• Access to Financial Services and the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ (July 2021), speakers on issue included, Professor Mark Lawler, Professor Niall O’Higgins and Dr Agnes Dumas. 

• Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer (November 2021), speakers on the issue included, Professor Owen Smith, Professor Daniel Stark and a parent representative. 

• Update on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ and the Access to Financial Services (April 2022) 

• Hosted information briefing as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 2022) 

• Comprehensive Cancer Centres (December 2022), speakers on the issue included Averil Power, Professor John Kennedy and Professor Maeve Lowery. 

• Early Detection of Child, Adolescent and Young Adult (CAYA) Cancers (November 2023), speakers on the issue included Prof. Owen Smith, Ashley Ball-Gamble, Amy Nolan and a patient representative. 

• Energy hardship (December 2023), speakers on the issue included Averil Power and Emma Harte of the Irish Cancer Society.