asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been directed to the report published by the Medical Research Council of Ireland for 1951, in which it is stated that lack of money is preventing the council from undertaking any significant expansion in its research activities and if in view of the seriousness of this report and the increasing death-rate through cancer he will cause a full inquiry to be made into the needs of those engaged in cancer research, and ensure that ample funds will be made available for further continuous research.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Research Council Report.
Mr. Byrne
I have seen the report referred to by the Deputy. The grants payable to the Medical Research Council were reviewed in September, 1951, and were substantially increased at that time, when I received a deputation from the council.
The council are not at present engaged in cancer research. It was agreed at the meeting with the representatives of the council last year that a proposal for cancer research which had been put forward was unlikely to be fruitful, on account of the necessarily restricted scale of such research which would be possible with the funds available.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister not aware that the present grant is inadequate and prevents them from making advances? Will the Minister give consideration to the question of increasing it so as to allow them to continue their good work?
That is the question I answered.
Mr. Byrne
It has not been answered sufficiently.
Not to your satisfaction, but it has been answered.
Am I to take it from the answer to the question that cancer research has, therefore, been discontinued in this country? That is the gist of the reply.
For the moment. It is very hard to discuss this question of research in reply to questions. It is obvious that you can only devote a certain amount of attention, time, etc., to it and it was inadvisable to take on another subject. They are doing very good work on tuberculosis and other diseases.
Mr. Byrne
They have been on that for ten years.
What was the amount of the grant?
It was substantial.
What does "substantial" mean?
I think it was £6,000.
The Minister was recently at the opening of a new cancer clinic. Does he propose to suspend all research work in connection with a disease for the treatment of which he opened a new clinic? It seems retrograde.
There will be a very big sum spent on the treatment of cancer, but the Research Council are not engaged in the business.
Would you not think, if you want to treat so common a disease as cancer which has required the establishment of a new clinic which the Minister opened, that one of the very many necessary ancillaries to treatment would be research for the purpose of improving the methods of treatment?
Most certainly. If they put up a proposition with regard to research it will be considered.
If they put up proposals then they will be considered.