The National Cancer Strategy has “failed to deliver” on its promises due to underinvestment, politicians have been told.The State’s cancer strategy, which seeks to improve care and outcomes for cancer patients in Ireland, is concluding at the end of this year, with plans in place for the next iteration of the plan.However, the Irish Cancer Society said the “healthcare system cannot currently meet the needs of people seeking care today”.Nikki Gallagher, chief executive of the national charity, told a meeting of the Oireachtas health committee on Wednesday there were great projects which have “worked very well to date, bringing benefit to patients”.But she also outlined a number of areas the country has fallen behind in, including timely access to dedicated referral pathways for breast and prostate cancer, as well as timely access to treatment.“Delays in starting treatment negatively affect mortality rates. The risks to patients and their outcomes are too high - it is essential we get the cancer pathway right,” she said.Gallagher outlined figures from 2025, which showed: more than 11,600 (or roughly 39 per cent) of women did not access an urgent symptomatic breast disease clinic within time frame; 6,600 people did not get their urgent colonoscopy within time frame; 1,300 (or 15 per cent) did not start chemotherapy on time and 1,500 (or 21 per cent) did not start radiation therapy treatment on time.Gallagher said data from the first quarter of this year “continue to show delays” in services. “Unfortunately, without the sustained investment in the necessary strategic programmes and infrastructure, thousands of people have been waiting longer than recommended to get access to tests and treatment,” she added.The charity said there is a “high degree of unmet need” across the cancer spectrum, which it said must be considered in the next strategy.It called for a focus on screening, prevention, dying well with cancer, as well as living well with and after cancer.Speaking at the same meeting, Prof David Fennelly, clinical director of the St Vincent’s UCD Cancer Centre, said there are “two key issues that impact our cancer services currently”.“The first issue is radiology. We are currently dealing with a lack of radiology resources. A very clear reason for that is lack of access to mammography. Again, looking at colonoscopies, same issue applies – lack of equipment,” he said.“The second [issue] is bed capacity. Our hospital is running at a capacity of 120 per cent. On a day-to-day basis, I’m faced with a challenge of admitting a 75-year-old on a trolley in casualty versus a young patient in Tullamore with sarcoma who needs timely chemotherapy.”