I welcome the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Prison Service
I thank the Minister for coming in. I tabled this matter in order that he might provide a detailed plan and outline for the construction and delivery of the Thornton Hall prison. The overcrowding in prisons is nothing short of a crisis. The most recent figures show there are currently more than 730 prisoners in custody without bed space. The latter represents a 40% increase since January. This continues to lead to inhumane conditions where prisoners are sleeping on mattresses on floors and the risk of violence and health issues is ever present. The Irish Penal Reform Trust has repeatedly highlighted these issues, yet we see little progress being made in addressing them.
Thornton Hall is supposed to be the solution to the crisis. The site, which has cost the taxpayer €50 million so far, was intended for a new state-of-the-art prison facility. Despite this significant investment, however, it has been plagued by delays and mismanagement. The latest proposal to convert part of the site into an international protection accommodation centre is a clear indication of Government's failure to prioritise our prison system. Twenty years after the site being purchased, we must ask why the project there has not been completed. Why has work not even started?
The need for additional prison capacity is undeniable. The revolving door system whereby prisoners are released within 24 hours due to overcrowding makes a mockery of our justice system. It does a disservice to the victims of crime and undermines public confidence in our ability to maintain law and order. Furthermore, the attempt to convert Thornton Hall to an international protection accommodation, IPA, centre is misguided. Accommodating new arrivals should not come at the expense of addressing domestic issues. The site was purchased with the intention of alleviating prison overcrowding and it should be used for that purpose. To this end, I ask the Minister outline to what extent the State plans to use the site for IPA and how it plans to balance this with prison construction.
Previously, I have highlighted the staggering costs associated with this project. Besides the price of the land, we have spent €114,000 over the past three years alone on what is effectively an empty site, yet we still have nothing to show for it. This is gross mismanagement of taxpayers' money. We need a clear timeline for the construction and delivery of Thornton Hall prison. The Government must commit to completing this project and ensuring that our prison system can operate effectively and humanely. I call on the Minister for Justice to provide a definite answer on when Thornton Hall will be built. We cannot continue to ignore the pressing issue of prison overcrowding. It is time for decisive action to ensure that our justice system functions as it should.
I thank Senator Keogan for raising this important matter. It is unquestionably the case that we have a problem in respect of prison overcrowding. It is also the case that we need to make additional space available in our prisons in order to deal with an increase in the prison population over the past number of years. A great deal of work has been done to date to enhance prison infrastructure, provide additional capacity and explore alternatives to prison for those who are non-violent or non-serious offenders. The programme for Government, published earlier this year, contains a commitment to continued action in the area and to the construction of a prison at Thornton Hall.
I want Senator Keogan and the other Senators present to know that the Government will continue to invest in the prison estate to ensure that it is modern, fit for purpose and has the capacity to accommodate those committed to prison. In recent years, capacity across the prison estate has increased by more than 300 new spaces, with over 120 of these added in the past 12 months. There is more capacity to come on stream very soon. Since I became Minister for Justice, I have visited two prisons, Cloverhill Prison and Cork Prison. I visited the latter on Friday last. I am well aware from those visits of the excellent work done by prison officers in the Irish Prison Service. I am also aware, however, of the overcrowding problems in our prisons. I want to assure Senators that further spaces will be delivered in 2025 as part of an overall plan out to 2030.
The Irish Prison Service has a total budget of €525 million for 2025, an increase of €79 million, or 18%, over 2024. Obviously, the issue to which Senator Keogan refers relates to the capital budget. The Prison Service capital budget stands at €53 million in 2025, an increase of €22.5 million on the original allocation for 2024. The reason the Government agreed to such a significant increase in the capital budget is because of the overcrowding in our prisons. In July 2023, a prison overcrowding response group was established, comprising officials from my Department and representatives of relevant agencies. The function of the group was to consider measures to address capacity issues in the prison estate. In June 2024, on foot of a report from this group, range of actions were approved and work to implement these is ongoing.
A working group was established in the second half of 2024 to further consider future prison capacity needs and make recommendations on the volume and types of prison capacity needed to 2035. The work of this group will support and inform future developments, including at Thornton Hall. As part of the comprehensive accommodation strategy for international protection, a portion of the land of Thornton Hall was identified for potential accommodation for IPA applicants.
In 2024, the Irish Prison Service signed a two-year licence agreement with the Department of children for the use of approximately 30 acres of the site for the accommodation of persons seeking international protection. Nonetheless, Thornton Hall remains within the ownership of the Irish Prison Service and is very much part of the service's plans to increase capacity.
Works on the site at Thornton Hall to provide accommodation for IP applicants are paused temporarily following recent legal proceedings. My Department revoked the ministerial order put in place for the site and plans to develop a replacement order over the coming months. The site remains secured and my Department hopes to recommence work there as soon as possible. I re-emphasise that Thornton Hall is an important part of my response and the Government's response to the overcrowding crisis.
I thank the Minister. Basically, he is saying that lands at Thornton Hall will not be used for international protection accommodation and that he has revoked the order on that. Did he know a contract was signed this time last year with the provider on that site for the provision of accommodation for international protection applicants? I do not know how long the contract was signed for. I think it was two years the Department of integration signed it for. Was the Minister aware of that? Is the taxpayer still paying for that?
That will be great news for the residents of the area but it is the prison I am here for today. I want to see the prison built at that site. A lot of investment has gone into it. Not only do I demand it, but the public demands it. We have a revolving door system and we do not have enough prison spaces. I wish the Minister well and want to see this delivered in his time. The €53 million will not go very far but I hope the Government is committed to giving the Minister many more millions to deliver that.
I will clarify what I said in case there is any ambiguity. I said the Department had revoked the ministerial order put in place for the Thornton Hall site and that there were plans to develop a replacement order in the coming months. That is what I indicated to the Senator.
In terms of Thornton Hall being used as a prison, it is unquestionably the case that we need further prison space. That is why the programme for Government commits to providing 1,500 new spaces. Part of that will have to be the construction of a new prison. Thornton Hall appears to be a viable option as a location for the construction of that new prison.
These things, I hate to say, take considerable periods of time. We have an overcrowding crisis in our prisons. It was there last year, it was there when I arrived and it is there at present. We also need to look at solutions in terms of developing immediate spots and spaces for our Prison Service. That is ongoing. The Irish Prison Service is doing very good work in that regard but it is not a quick fix, I regret to say, in terms of resolving the overcrowding crisis.
Closed-Circuit Television Systems
I thank the Minister and welcome him to the Seanad. I wish to raise serious issues regarding the roll-out of CCTV surveillance in all our towns and villages across the country. It can offer several key benefits for public safety and well-being. CCTV systems act as a visible deterrent to individuals or groups considering illegal activities. In showing them they are being monitored, CCTV discourages such behaviour and prevents crime, including antisocial behaviour, theft, vandalism, assault, illegal dumping, drug trafficking in our villages and speeding through our villages. The benefits make everybody's life a lot safer. People are less likely to commit crimes such as theft, vandalism and assault if they know they are being monitored. CCTV helps monitor public spaces, ensuring incidents and emergencies such as accidents or disturbances can be quickly detected and responded to by gardaí. Communities' peace of mind and sense of security can be increased by knowing this is in place, helping residents feel safer in their homes and in public spaces.
I want to highlight what happened in a local village. Tarbert is in north Kerry. During Hallowe'en night, a gang of up to 50 youths, who were dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, took over the village between the hours of 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. It was a nasty situation. They took control of the village and set off fireworks. They had a fireworks battle. They interfered with traffic and the public, causing chaos. This was not a safe environment, as fireworks were set off near homes and there was intimidation of passing traffic and people, which led to fear among families who were out trick-or-treating with their children. I met residents in that locality in the Tarbert Community Centre and almost 100 locals turned up for that public meeting. I promised them that night that there would be extra surveillance, as in the installation of CCTV, to protect the residents from disruption occurring on the next Hallowe'en night. Every one of them agreed with this.
CCTV will protect businesses from theft, thus supporting all our local businesses. They are being exploited currently. CCTV will also serve our fantastic tourism market and people visiting Kerry in general. Kerry is the tourism capital of Ireland. The installation of CCTV means tourists will feel confident enough to visit places in Kerry where their safety is prioritised. CCTV can also provide evidence in investigations, helping to identify perpetrators, solve crimes and ensure that justice is served. In addition to crime prevention, CCTV can monitor traffic flow, detect accidents and ensure that roads are safe for all road users.
To finish, CCTV will play a critical role in enhancing safety, deterring crime and supporting communities, the Garda and all local authorities. The installation of CCTV will make this country the safest there is. I look forward to hearing the response of the Minister.
I thank Senator Kennelly for raising this important matter. I am well aware of the usefulness and significance of CCTV footage from my time as Minister for Justice and, indeed, before. Last Friday, I was in Anglesea Street Garda station in Cork where I was given a presentation on the vast array of CCTV footage that is available to gardaí as a result of CCTV cameras placed in Cork city. I saw the same when I visited Store Street Garda station in Dublin. So, CCTV is hugely beneficial. It assists gardaí in the investigation of crime.
I fully accept what the Senator said, that CCTV in towns and villages can contribute to feelings of safety. They provide a level of reassurance to citizens and individuals and can deter criminal activity simply through their presence. However, it should be noted that the provision of CCTV for the purposes of crime prevention and public safety are matters for local authorities and the Garda Commissioner. That is the situation under law. I, as the Minister for Justice, have no role in deciding on where CCTV cameras should be installed and I cannot direct local authorities to install CCTV in a given location. In many respects, dealing with the issue of what happened in Tarbert a while ago is a matter that Kerry County Council needs to engage with An Garda Síochána on so that they can put forward proposals and avail of the law that is there in order to install cameras.
The Department of Justice plays a significant role in supporting local authorities in installing and maintaining community CCTV schemes. Since 2017, my Department has administered a grant aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish community-based CCTV systems in their areas. The CCTV grant scheme was extended in 2019 to not only cover new CCTV systems, but also to provide funding for the extension or upgrading of existing CCTV systems that were incomplete or obsolete. Applicants may also seek a one-off grant of up to €5,000 for minor maintenance costs. Grants of over €950,000 for 36 community CCTV schemes have been approved to date.
I want Senator Kennelly and other Senators to be aware that a further €1 million in funding has been made available towards the development of community-based CCTV schemes in 2024. Applications for funding are now open and can be made directly by the relevant local authorities. I appeal to and urge local authorities to seek to avail of those schemes. This level of funding underlines my commitment to working with communities to ensure that everyone feels safe.
The Department is also committed to putting in place robust legislative measures to support community CCTV schemes. There must be a lawful basis for the installation and use of those cameras and schemes. That is why the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023, which was signed into law in December 2023, provides for a new regime for the authorisation and operation of CCTV schemes. In order to introduce the new regime for CCTV, Part 5 of the Act must be commenced. Under the Act, there is a new requirement for the Garda Commissioner to develop a code of practice in respect of CCTV. This will set out the procedures and standards to be followed, as well as the new rules around confidentiality, security storage, access, protection of data and data subject rights. I am advised by Garda authorities that work is ongoing regarding the development of this code of practice. I urge An Garda Síochána to expedite this matter.
I fully accept the usefulness and importance of CCTV cameras in an area. We all need to put more pressure on local authorities to try to advance this idea. I know they have concerns about being data processors or data holders, but that has not precluded Cork city or Dublin city from availing of these cameras to such a good extent. I urge local authorities in other places to do the same.
I thank the Minister for his response. There lies his problem, namely, with the local authorities, the general data protection regulation, GDPR, and data control. It is for An Garda Síochána to take responsibility for data control. That is how this can be presented to the public in the context of what can be used in statute law. I welcome it. Since 2023, we have seen disturbances on the streets of Dublin. In the context of these incidents, CCTV footage led to many people being brought to trial and some being given jail time. I look forward to coming back to this matter again when I get a response from Kerry County Council on its platform and pathway for making Kerry the safest county. I also look forward to seeing what pathways other counties intend to take.
I raised this issue at local level. There is a financial burden that the councils will not take on, GDPR aside. I will do more research into this to make sure that communities such as those in Tarbert and other villages in north Kerry are not burdened financially or by GDPR and that these cameras will be rolled out for their safety.
I note the Senator's point about the CCTV footage from the Dublin riots. He is correct in stating that it was very helpful to An Garda Síochána in seeking to identify and prosecute individuals involved in the riots.
I am aware of the confusion that can sometimes exist around the process for local authorities to apply. The Senator will be aware that I commenced the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 last week. Under this Act, provision is made for the establishment of local community safety partnerships. These partnerships will include elected councillors and individuals from a locality. I hope they will have a significant say when it comes recommending to local authorities that requests for CCTV schemes in various areas should be submitted.
A key principle of the report by the Commission on the Future of Policing is that community safety requires multi-agency co-operation and that the agencies involved need to work in conjunction with An Garda Síochána. The report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together Departments and State agencies involved in harm prevention in order to promote local community safety. That is why residents, local authority staff, councillors and members of An Garda Síochána will all be represented on these community safety partnerships. They will be best placed to know how CCTV can be appropriately utilised in their areas. The expertise really lies at a local level.
Some 36 partnerships will be established under the legislation. These will be based in each local authority area. Each local community safety partnership will be supported by a full-time co-ordinator and a full-time administrator, resourced by the Department of Justice and will be led by a voluntary chair. Regulations are being made under section 114 of the Act to provide for the establishment and operation of the partnerships as soon as possible. They will be the appropriate forum for people to use to request the provision of CCTV cameras.
Crime Prevention
I welcome the Aire to the Upper House. Comhghairdeas to him on his appointment as Minister for Justice. He has been a breath of fresh air since taking office. His hands-on approach to the bread-and-butter issues of justice in our communities and throughout our country is welcome. I wish him well in his role. He has a big task ahead.
I am seeking an update on the Department's work on the production of a retail crime strategy. The Minister will be aware that the CSO recorded a 12% increase in thefts last year. Forty-six per cent of that increase came from retail. Those thefts were from retail establishments. We are talking about the small Spar, Londis, Centra and local corner shop, as well as the Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Lidl on our high street. Shop owners and shop workers are being threatened on a daily basis. They face racism, sexism and verbal and physical assaults. It is not an overstatement to point to the fact that many shop owners in Dublin had to employ security staff wearing bodycams before gardaí in Dublin were wearing bodycams. That is an indication of where safety in the retail space stands.
I know the Minister is aware of this and that he appreciates this is not a victimless crime. It is estimated that apart from the personal human impact on individuals working, owning and trying to operate these establishments, and on their customers and the communities they serve, there is a financial cost. The estimated cost is €1.6 billion per year. That is an enormous amount of money to be losing in the context of investment in our economy and community. RGDATA represents more than 3,500 individual, family-owned SuperValus, Spars and Centras, which are the shops where people buy a bottle of milk or a sliced pan. They are there early in the morning when we go to work and late at night when we go home. RGDATA estimates that theft is costing them, on average, €40,000 a year. That is €40,000 they have to find before they pay for stock, rent, insurance, electricity or staff. It is an enormous amount of money that is making many of these businesses struggle for viability.
I know the Minister gets this. I hope he has come to the House with an update for us on his Department's work to develop and produce a retail crime strategy, which is urgently needed.
I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I commend her on her tireless advocacy on behalf of citizens and people in Dublin Central. I am fully aware of the issue of retail crime, not just in the constituency of Dublin Central but in the cities and towns throughout Ireland. It is a significant issue for people who are trying to run businesses in those towns and cities. The statistics the Senator identified illustrate that. This is something that is costing small businesses €1.6 billion a year, which is a significant amount.
I assure the Senator that the Government and I are resolute in supporting Garda operations to tackle retail crime, including through considering how we can enhance and perhaps supplement its efforts. From speaking to Assistant Commissioner Cleary in Dublin, I know that he and his staff are very focused on this issue. They are aware that this is not a victimless crime and that something needs to be done to ensure there is enforcement of the law when it comes to shoplifting, which poses a significant threat to the economic welfare of Irish retailers. These incidents do real harm, not only to the business owners but also to their staff, who, as the Senator knows, are in vulnerable positions on many occasions, whether they are working late at night or during the day, if people come in who as well as stealing are threatening violence against them.
My Department is developing a retail crime strategy. I am fully aware of the importance of having that strategy in place. However, it is also important to recognise that powers are available that need to be availed of. One of the legislative changes I am considering is updating the public order Acts to allow a prolific offender of retail crime to be excluded from a premises for a period. We have similar barring orders for people who perpetrate or are alleged to have perpetrated acts of domestic violence. In circumstances where someone has been convicted of serial or repeated retail crime, there has to be a strong argument for that person to be kept away from retail areas.
The Senator will also be aware that the Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024 will come back into the Houses of the Oireachtas, I hope, after Easter. It provides for a defence for retailers called the defence of retail defamation. When that provision has been enacted, there will be much stronger protection for retailers when they identify and confront individuals they allege are shoplifting on their premises. It will, in effect, provide a protection of qualified privilege in circumstances where someone is stopped when leaving a shopping and it is said to them that it is believed they have shoplifted something from the shop. That will provide an occasion of protection for the retailer from a successful claim of defamation, unless it is the case the retailer was motivated by malice or acted disproportionately.
Furthermore, An Garda Síochána is strongly focused on tackling retail crime, including through a dedicated operation already in place - I mentioned assistant commissioner Cleary - called Operation Táirge. Under that operation, gardaí nationwide work on reducing organised retail crime by using an intelligence-led approach to identify criminals engaging in retail crime. The plan involves tackling organised retail crime by using an intelligence-led approach to identify criminals engaging in that crime; working with retailers to strengthen their security and prevent them becoming victims of this criminality; supporting those working in retail to report a crime; identifying and targeting the areas where organised retail crime black markets operate and their leadership; working with high-risk retailers to enhance prevention, investigating and prosecuting; and deterring people from becoming involved in organised retail crime by raising awareness of the consequences of committing such offences. The approach is to disrupt the most prolific groups through the use of organised crime legislation and proceeds of crime legislation. In 2024, the first year of operation, there were 8,460 arrests and 20,000 charge summonses were recorded in association with Operation Táirge. That illustrates the work of An Garda Síochána on the ground.
However, I recognise it is not only about organised retail crime. There is a large volume of lower level, everyday shoplifting that has just as serious an impact on small retailers and staff. Our best and most important resource to tackle it is An Garda Síochána. As the Senator will be aware, we are increasing Garda resources. I am pleased, and I hope the Senator has noticed, that we have an increased presence of gardaí in her area of Dublin 1 or Dublin city centre. I hope that will combat the level of retail crime we are unfortunately seeing.
I acknowledge the ownership an tAire has taken of this issue since he took office. It is welcome that he proposes to introduce exclusion orders and that he is preparing the Defamation (Amendment) Bill to introduce a defence of retail defamation. I acknowledge the work of An Garda Síochána under Operation Táirge; the more than 8,000 arrests last year are welcome. However, the Minister acknowledged that the low level, insidious, casual, opportunistic shoplifting has a really corrosive effect. Although An Garda may have made more than 8,000 arrests, there is a role for the courts to play in this as well in sentencing and prosecuting those crimes. I urge the Minister to engage with the courts and impress upon them the importance and severity of the impact of the issue on our communities.
I acknowledge the increased presence of gardaí in my area and across the capital, which is welcome. I am not suggesting the job is done, but it is welcome and the people of Dublin Central and across the capital welcome their presence and are supportive of the new gardaí who have come to the capital. We hope they stay here for a long time to come.
It is important to emphasise, as I always do, that one of the problems I face as Minister for Justice is that people want to see more gardaí in every community. It is a great advantage we have in Ireland. In some other countries, people do not want to see a police force in their communities because they do not trust it. The overwhelming majority of Irish people trust An Garda Síochána and want to see members in their communities.
I should also have pointed out in my response that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment holds a retail forum on a quarterly basis with retailers and representative bodies. I also attended a meeting last October, as the Senator may have, of retailers concerned about the issue of retail theft. It is a serious issue. That is the reason I was there. I am conscious of trying to address it to assist retailers in giving them greater legal protections. I am conscious of trying to ensure An Garda has more resources. However, as the Senator also knows there is another aspect, which is the fact that many of the people involved in it, though not all, have addiction issues. That is an issue we need to figure out how to address. Nonetheless, that addiction issue should not interfere with the legitimate entitlement of people to run businesses and to serve the community as they do.
I will meet members of the retail forum in May to get their views about what a retail crime strategy might contain. It would also be interesting to hear the Senator's views, and indeed those of anyone else. It is important to conclude by stating that this is not a victimless crime. It has a serious impact on individuals and on businesses and it is also damaging for the appearance and safety of the city centre if people think retail crime can happen without consequence.
It is great to have the senior Minister with us for Commencement matters.
I am delighted to be in the Seanad.
It is much appreciated.
Hospital Facilities
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. My question concerns radiation therapists and machines that are currently not operating in some hospitals throughout the country. Some are not operating at full capacity due to staffing issues. I am aware my question overlaps the Departments of Health and further and higher education. There is an estimated shortfall of between 30% and 35% in radiation therapists nationally and the unfortunate consequence of this staffing deficit means a number of linear accelerators, which are cancer treatment machines, have been out of service. I am aware of four, from meetings I have had with the Irish Cancer Society. As of March this year, it is my understanding that one linear accelerator machine and one CT scanner were closed in Cork University Hospital. One linear accelerator machine has been closed in St. Luke's in Rathgar, Dublin, with a skin cancer machine also closed for 50% of the week. One linear accelerator machine and one CT scanner are closed in St. James's in Dublin. One linear accelerator machine is closed 60% of the time in University Hospital Galway, with one CT scanner being used only 20% of the time in emergency cases. I want to check if there is more information relating to these, or if there are more up-to-date figures. It is estimated these closed machines can result in some 120 missed appointments per day. This is according to SIPTU representatives operating on the ground. We know from Irish Cancer Society figures that an estimated one in three patients is not getting the cancer care he or she needs on time and in a timely manner.
I am aware that this is also a higher education issue. It relates to course places and having people to operate these machines and this equipment, and ensuring posts are being created. It is also about ensuring that we are keeping our graduates in Ireland once they finish their courses, and that they have clear career pathways. I know this issue is costing the State. We recently saw in The Irish Times that private outsourcing of radiotherapy services cost €23 million last year. This week, it was welcome to see the HSE capital investment plan for 2025, which provides for €12.13 million for radiation oncology projects under the national cancer control programme. Perhaps I will follow up with the Department on where exactly that is being spent. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I look forward to his reply.
I thank Senator Harmon for raising this Commencement matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.
There are three public radiation therapy services that operate linear accelerator machines in Ireland. These are located in Galway, Cork and Dublin across the St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network. There are a total of 22 linear accelerators across three services: Galway has four machines, Cork has five machines and the Dublin network has 14 machines. The HSE also contracts radiotherapy services from two private providers in Limerick and Waterford. There is also a service level agreement between the HSE and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland to provide radiotherapy on a cross-Border basis at the North West Cancer Centre in Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Derry.
In 2024, the HSE provided more than 6,600 patients with radiotherapy treatment. The HSE national cancer control programme has advised that Galway, Dublin and Cork all record inactivity rates equal to 0.5 of a machine, and this is largely due to staffing issues. I have checked that and it is 0.5 of a machine within each area. I have given the Senator the data that Galway has four machines, Cork has five machines and Dublin network has 14 machines. I sought clarification on that point. The linear accelerators are used for an average of nine hours a day and up to 11 hours when necessary. This time utilisation is similar when compared with international counterparts such as Sweden, Canada and the UK.
Evidence shows that providing timely therapy to patients improves outcomes. The HSE recognises the importance of this and, where deemed clinically necessary, patients are referred to private service providers and an investment of around €10 million per year is spent on outsourcing radiotherapy appointments to ensure timely treatment.
As Senator Harmon noted, there was a staff shortage of 30% in radiation therapy posts in March 2024, and I am pleased to note the efforts of the HSE in making improvements in the past year. By last month, this deficit had been reduced to 14% to 22% across the three services and work is being done to improve this further.
In budget 2025, €23 million was secured for the national cancer strategy. Funding will be used to recruit additional staff, including two consultant radiation oncologists, six advanced practice radiotherapists and a number of other clinical positions. The recruitment process for these posts is due to commence before the end of this month.
A national radiation therapist review report was completed in 2024. The review made 16 recommendations that are intended to support and enhance the radiation therapy profession. In line with the recommendations of the review, the professional registration requirements for radiation therapists have also been reviewed. This brings Ireland into line with international comparators.
The demand for radiotherapy services is increasing year by year in line with expectations identified by the National Cancer Registry Ireland and the national cancer control programme. The Government remains fully committed to the continued implementation of the national cancer strategy and to improving radiation therapy capacity to ensure timely treatment for patients. This will build on the progress already made in improving survivorship and quality of life for cancer patients.
I thank the Minister of State for the response and for providing clarity on my questions. It is welcome that the deficit in radiation therapy posts has been reduced from 30% down to 14% to 22%. That is still quite a high deficit, but it is welcome that progress has been made on it.
Regarding the 0.5 of a machine inactivity rates in the areas the Minister of State mentioned, is that daily, weekly or annual? I wanted to get clarification in regard to that. It is good to get clarity in regard to the €23 million and that six advanced practice radiotherapists and a number of other clinical positions will be recruited. As I said, I understand there is a link with the Department of further and higher education in this in terms of course places. I will follow up with that Department.
I thank Senator Harmon, and she will be following up the Department of further and higher education. On the 0.5 rate, I am not precisely certain what the date is but it is perhaps something the Senator might follow up on directly with the Department. I will bring it to the attention of the officials and ask that they respond to the Senator on that point. I am assuming it is a relatively up-to-date because the figure we have quoted in terms of staffing is an up-to-date one.
I thank Senator Harmon for her contribution on this matter. Successive national cancer control programmes have delivered continued improvements in outcomes for Irish cancer patients, developing radiotherapy services and ensuring improved outcomes for patients with less invasive treatment and fewer side effects. The benefit of our strategic approach to cancer control is shown by the improvement in the number of patients living after receiving a cancer diagnosis, which currently is 220,000 compared with 150,000 when the strategy was brought to the Government in 2017.
On the point the Senator made about the 0.5 rate and what date, I will follow up with the officials on that and have them correspond with her. Might I suggest that she writes to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, as well seeking clarification on that particular point.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 10.16 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 10.30 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 10.16 a.m. and resumed at 10.30 a.m.