The “Right to be Forgotten” for cancer survivors, following five-year campaign launched in 2021 has recently being announced. The Irish Cancer Society has welcomed a major legislative win for cancer survivors who will now be able to access mortgage protection insurance five years after they have completed active cancer treatment.
The Insurance (Disregard of Certain Medical History and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 was passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas today and will now go forward to be signed into law by President Catherine Connolly.
Launched in 2021 by the Irish Cancer Society, in collaboration with cancer survivors and leading academics, the Right to be Forgotten campaign highlighted the financial discrimination and barriers faced by cancer survivors in accessing financial services and products. Survivors faced outright denial of access to services, additional administrative burdens and hiked premiums
The Irish Cancer Society has long advocated for the waiting period to access certain financial products to be reduced from seven years to maximum five years, in line with medically recognised remission.
Welcoming the passing of the legislation, Nikki Gallagher, Irish Cancer Society CEO, said: “We began the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ campaign in 2021 because the financial discrimination experienced by survivors was a double injustice. The upheaval and devastation of a cancer diagnosis was compounded years later when survivors faced endless paper trails and hiked insurance premiums to access something as basic as mortgage protection insurance—without which they cannot access a mortgage.
“This has now been brought to an end. We want to pay enormous tribute to the patients and survivors who have had to tell their stories to advance this campaign and to Prof. Mark Lawler from Queen’s University in Belfast, who has been a trailblazer in campaigning for the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ not just in Ireland, but across Europe.
Professor Mark Lawler, Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “This is the proudest day in my professional career. The Right to Be Forgotten is not about compassion – it is about generating quality evidence and acting on that evidence. I want to thank the Irish Government for being led by and listening to our evidence. A previous draft of the legislation would have required cancer survivors to be at least 7 years post their successful treatment before they would be eligible to “forget” their previous cancer diagnosis.”
Lydia Whelan, breast cancer survivor from Co. Kildare, said: “It is an incredible privilege to be part of this campaign. To see the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ become law and to know the lasting impact it’s going to have for cancer patients and survivors, it’s just overwhelming.
“I found myself diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after I went sale agreed on a house with my partner. The thoughts of losing the house was more devastating than my cancer diagnosis. With the support of family and friends, we were able to complete the purchase, but my own name isn’t on my house because I can’t get mortgage protection insurance. Thankfully, I’m doing well, my treatment went well. And now, thanks to this campaign and thanks to the passing of this legislation, my name will be able to go on my home five years after my active treatment.” She also paid thanks to the Irish Cancer Society for he continued efforts to get legislation approved and to the members of the Oireachtas in acting and the legislation that will help cancer survivors
“I can’t thank the Irish Cancer Society enough for their perseverance and work on this campaign over many years. And I’m so grateful we have politicians in Government and across the Oireachtas who are willing to listen and take action.”
