Other News In Brief

Labour: Ireland Falling Behind On Improved Cancer Medicines

Labour Party Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said that Ireland continues to be a laggard when it comes to providing oncology medicines to patients on public waiting lists.

It comes as private health insurers have told oncologists that certain medicines will be available to private patients in private hospitals.

Deputy Kelly said: "The fact that oncologists across the country have received notice from private health insurers that they will be funding oncology drugs to private patients in private hospitals shows that the levels of inequity that exist in our health service. We have got to a stage now where those who can afford to can access potentially life altering drugs while those on the public list are still waiting for the same drugs to be approved.

"We already know that cancer patients in Ireland are far less likely to receive new cancer drugs and treatment compared to other European countries due to the way medicines are funded here in Ireland.

"Currently, there is a 623 day wait from when new oncology medicines are approved by the European Medicines Agency and when they come onto the Irish market. Compared to a 124 day wait to our colleagues in the United Kingdom, Ireland is seriously lagging behind in the provision of treatment."

Deputy Kelly added that Ireland is also falling behind when it comes to the access of treatment and new innovations, and said the situation is "not good enough".

Govt Pledge €1m To New UNICEF Initiative

The Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon, T.D., has announced funding of €1 million to UNICEF to support its new Generation Unlimited (Gen U) initiative.  

Gen U is a global, public-private partnership that aims to ensure that every young person aged 10-24 will be in school, learning, training or age-appropriate decent employment, by 2030, with a special focus on empowering young women and girls.

Gen U also supports effective solutions and promising ideas on a large scale by unlocking public/private investment and engaging young people as co-creators. This in turn enables them to learn, train and work so that they can lead meaningful, productive lives.

Minister Cannon, who was appointed to the role of Gen U "Champion" last week, said: "Given Ireland's deep commitment to the multilateral system, we are delighted to provide €1 million in funding to UNICEF. This will help fund key new initiatives, such as Gen U, that will help young people all over the globe meet the challenges of a changing world.

"I am also honoured to accept the invitation to act as a 'Champion' for Gen U and will focus my efforts on ensuring that we can translate these noble aspirations into better lives for our children and succeeding generations. The funding announced today deepens Ireland's strong support to, and for, the UN Development System. This support helps make the UN system work better for those most in need."

In 2018, Ireland contributed over €20 million to UNICEF, which remains one of Ireland's largest and most important development partners.

SocDems Blast Govt's 'Pathetic' Anti-Corruption Efforts

The Social Democrats have today blasted as 'pathetic' the government's anti-corruption efforts and renewed its call for an Independent Anti-Corruption Agency to tackle white collar crime and corruption.

It follows a United Nations report which recommended a set of "common-sense" anti-corruption reforms that are "obvious and very long overdue". The UN also called for increased staffing at the recently established Garda Anti-Corruption Unit, saying there are only three members attached to it.

Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said the situation is "just pathetic". "In a parliamentary question last January, I asked the Minister for Justice for information about the resources of this unit and received a reply that it was not possible to provide the specific information requested.

"Fine Gael has repeatedly squandered opportunities to deliver meaningful anti-corruption reforms and back them up with resources and expertise to vigorously prevent, detect and prosecute corruption and white-collar crime. Today's UN report highlights once again the government's minimalist and apathetic attitude to rooting out corruption in public and private life.

"The Social Democrats proposed the setting up of an Independent Anti-Corruption Agency in a private members' motion brought to the Dáil more than three years ago. Our motion was rejected by the then Fine Gael/Labour government. Had our proposal been supported we could have had an agency up and running by now with the appropriate resources and powers to make a real difference.

"When we consider the enormous costs to the Exchequer and to society of successive tribunals and inquiries, the investment in setting up an independent and proactive agency would be well worth it."



(JG/CM)