Cancer Connect is being ‘ignored’ by government

THE absence of a financial support package for the Cancer Connect service operating out of West Cork has been criticised by Independent TD Michael Collins.

Deputy Collins raised the matter in the Dáil and reminded government that Cancer Connect was promised at least €50,000 in 2022.

‘But so far this funding has not materialised leaving the service relying disproportionately on volunteer efforts, such as recent fundraising in Lisheen, which is attempting to raise the tens of thousands of euro that are necessary for the service to operate,’ he said.

‘This government has broken its promise to cancer patients, their families, and the community of volunteers who rely on them for assistance, and that is about as low as you can get really,’ said Deputy Collins.

‘I have been raising this matter consistently in the Dáil and in fact, I brought the matter directly to the attention of Tánaiste Micheál Martin as far back as February, when I asked him to prioritise the delivery of funding supports to Cancer Connects.

‘At that point I made it absolutely clear that the charity had seen a significant surge in demand and that requests for service provision to cancer patients and their families from Castletownbere to the Mizen peninsula to Sheep’s Head was increasing.

‘Cancer Connect and other community-related cancer services have been ignored and this means that the most vulnerable people among us are effectively being abandoned,’ he concluded.