Senior doctors who treat cancer are calling for two breast cancer treatment drugs to be made available here urgently.

They are already widely used in other countries, but are not expected to be available in Ireland until later this year or early 2017.

However, doctors believe that is too late for some patients who need them straight away.

John Crown, a consultant oncologist at St Vincent’s University hospital has said the confusion over the formation of a government may have contributed to the delay: “One thing that actually troubles me is I believe that this delay ha been partly due to the dysfunction of having no Government for several months.

“Because the decision I think has been made at a high level not to embark on any kind of spending initiatives by acting ministers. -Minister Harris there are real people who need this right now.”