asked the Minister for Health whether his attention has been drawn to announcements indicating that a group of persons have decided to launch a Conquer Cancer Campaign; whether his Department have been approached to approve the proposal; if so, whether the proposal was approved; and whether he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - “Conquer Cancer” Campaign.
23.
My attention has been drawn to these announcements. My Department was not approached for approval of the proposal to launch the Conquer Cancer Campaign; such approval is not, of course, required by law.
Did the Minister say his Department were approached?
We were not approached.
Does the Minister think it desirable that a group of private citizens should be allowed to constitute themselves into a committee for raising money for the purpose of dealing with such a fundamental problem as the treatment of cancer and cancer research in the country, and does he not feel he should have power to deal with committees of this kind so as to have some supervision over the manner in which they propose to dispose of the product of their function?
If the Deputy will have that question put down, I shall answer it in detail. I shall say now that I am not prepared to interfere with any body of citizens who feel they can help individuals in this country who may be afflicted in a particular way. On the contrary, wherever I have spoken with relation to any of these institutions. I have pointed out that they contribute a very necessary and desirable supplement to the efforts of the Government in this respect. In relation to any particular activity on the part of such a group of individuals, I should like to have rather more definite proof before I would feel called upon to interfere with the exercise of what appears to be a public-spirited activity.
Having regard to the fact that there are three cancer hospitals in existence, would the Minister not consider that, as Minister for Health, he should turn this other newly-established body into these hospitals so that, instead of getting new bodies established, he might get the three hospitals grouped together to raise funds? Establishing committees for many different purposes might not in the long run lead to the very laudable results we might think.
The very fact that a group of citizens feel there is this great need seems to me to suggest a very grave reflection on the Minister's efforts to deal with this serious problem.
Deputy Dr. Browne knows very well that the action of these people is no reflection on me. We have a national cancer consultative council concerned with this matter and there has been a satisfactory development of the cancer services, which have in fact been improved very greatly in the past five years. It does not occur to me to require that people who desire to engage in activities of this kind to help sufferers from conditions such as this should come to me and ask for my permission. On the contrary, I like to see our citizens displaying initiative. The only time I would feel myself called upon to interfere would be when activities of this kind were not merely overlapping but operating to the detriment of the existing services.
The Minister can be assured that in this case there is overlapping.