Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2019
547. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he and-or his officials gather baseline health data on cancers and pulmonary diseases for the affected districts in which industrial incineration licences are granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23829/19]
View answerAt present, the Department holds data on both mortality and hospital discharge information at county level. Through the work the Department is doing on a health information system strategy, we will be asking the HSE and other agencies under our aegis to include the collection of Eircode in all patient administration systems where it is not currently routinely collected. Having geographically coded health information will allow analysis of population health outcomes at lower levels of geography than is currently available.
The National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) is charged with collecting and classifying information on all cancer cases that occur in Ireland. Collection of population-based cancer incidence data for the entire country began in 1994. The NCRI produces annual reports covering cancer incidence, mortality, treatment and survival. Each year approximately four further reports are produced focusing on specific cancer issues.
Overall, NCRI data is used widely in the development of cancer services, service planning and in monitoring progress being made under the National Cancer Strategy.
