29 September 2025

The Marie Keating Foundation is urging Government to use Budget 2026 to deliver fairer, faster and more equal access to cancer care, warning that persistent delays in diagnosis and treatment, unequal access to new medicines, and entrenched inequalities in outcomes are leaving too many patients behind.

Cancer remains one of Ireland’s greatest health challenges, with one in two people expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime. Ireland already has the second-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the EU, and incidence is projected to double by 2045.

The Foundation also highlights stark inequalities: people in the most deprived areas face a 28% higher risk of dying from cancer compared with those in more affluent areas, while public patients continue to wait significantly longer than private patients for access to innovative new treatments and medicines. Survivors too face discrimination, with ongoing barriers to financial services such as insurance and mortgages.

To address these challenges, the Foundation is calling on Government in Budget 2026 to:

• Provide €20m to complete the current National Cancer Strategy and fund development of its successor.
• Expand cancer prevention and screening — including broader eligibility for BreastCheck and BowelScreen, piloting lung cancer screening, and scaling up HPV vaccination.
• Invest in diagnostics and staffing to cut delays and backlogs.
• Establish an Early Access Pilot Programme for Innovative Oncology Medicines, as committed to in the Programme for Government.
• Introduce Right to be Forgotten legislation so cancer survivors are no longer penalised in accessing financial services.

Liz Yeates, CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation, said: “Cancer touches every family in Ireland. We know the numbers, we know the inequalities, and we know the devastating impact that delays in diagnosis and treatment have on patients and their families. Budget 2026 is a chance for Government to demonstrate real commitment to cancer care — not just in words, but through meaningful investment in prevention, services and staffing.

“The truth is simple: when cancer is found early, patients have the best chance of successful treatment. When diagnosis or treatment is delayed, outcomes worsen. Behind every statistic is a person with a life, a family and a future — and that is why we need decisive action now.

“Budget 2026 must deliver a cancer plan that is fair, effective and sustainable — ensuring no patient is left behind.”

You can read our full pre-budget submission below:

2026 Pre-Budget Submission Marie Keating Foundation