Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Deputy Lynch for raising this matter. I take this opportunity to set out the current position on the BreastCheck programme and, in particular, on the extension of it to the remaining counties.

The national breast screening programme commenced in the eastern and midland regions in February 2000. Screening is offered free of charge to women in the 50 to 64 age group in these regions. Last year the programme was extended to cover counties Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford. The expansion to the south eastern counties will result in an additional 18,000 women being invited for screening.

Since February 2000, cumulative revenue funding of approximately €60 million and €12 million capital funding has been allocated to support the programme. Up to September last year, 167,000 women had been invited for screening and approximately 120,000 women have availed of the service. It is estimated that the cancer detection rate is approximately 7.8 per 1,000 screened and to date over 1,000 cancers have been detected.

The national rollout of the BreastCheck programme to remaining counties is a major priority in the development of cancer services. The expansion of this service will ensure that all women in the relevant age group throughout the country have access to breast screening and follow-up treatment where required. A capital investment of €21 million has been approved to construct and equip two static clinical units, one at South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital, Cork and the other at University College Hospital, Galway. This investment will also ensure that mobile units are available to screen all women in the relevant age group throughout the country.

Detailed planning for the static units is progressing as a matter of priority. A project team was established to develop briefs for the capital infrastructure required for the two new units. The design briefs for both sites were completed in January 2005. The next stage is to appoint a design team to complete the detailed design of the two units. Given the scale of the investment involved, EU tendering procedures will apply.

It is intended that the facilities at Cork and Galway will be progressed simultaneously under the capital investment framework, 2005 to 2009. Capital funding in both cases has already been identified under the framework. The HSE, in conjunction with the Department, is examining the health capital investment framework with a view to initiating as quickly as possible new capital commitments for this and subsequent years.

The majority of women diagnosed with breast disease are treated outside the BreastCheck programme. The report on the development of services for symptomatic breast disease, which was published in 2000, found that the necessary care could best be provided by the establishment of specialist breast units. The report recommended the development of 13 such units, strategically placed throughout the country, each treating sufficiently large number of patients to maintain expertise and to promote best practice. Six of the units recommended in the report are now fully operational and the remainder are at advanced stages of development.

Since 2000, more than €60 million has been made available for the development of symptomatic breast disease services throughout the country. As regards the Health Service Executive southern area, there has been a cumulative additional investment of €76 million for the development of appropriate treatment and care services for people with cancer, including breast cancer, since 1997. This funding has provided for the approval of an additional 11 consultants in key areas of cancer care. These include two surgeons with special interest in breast disease. The funding has also provided for the appointment of 27 cancer care nurse specialists across the southern area.

The Tánaiste is committed to the national expansion of BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme. The design, construction and commissioning of projects of this nature generally take approximately two and a half years. It is anticipated that the advertisement for the appointment of a design team will be placed in the EU journal in the coming weeks and I am confident that the target date for the expansion of BreastCheck nationally, of mid-2007, will be met.

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