Vol. 439 No. 2
141 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health when the national cancer register was established; if an annual report will be published; if any trends are emerging about the distribution of cancer in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The National Cancer Registry Board was formally established by a Statutory Instrument (SI No. 19 of 1991) under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961 on 4 February 1991 and it commenced full national cancer registration with effect from 1 January 1994.
The Statutory Instrument establishing the board provides that it shall publish an annual report based on the activities of the registry.
Trends in relation to the incidence and prevalence of cancer will only become apparent when the results of a number of years registration are available but I am confident that, in time, the data gathered by the National Cancer Registry Board will be of significant benefit to those involved in the treatment of cancer, in research into this disease and in the planning and management of the health services in this area.
