Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I am pleased to have this opportunity to contribute to this debate. As a Deputy representing Cork South-Central, I especially welcome the tabling of this motion by Fine Gael, highlighting a huge disparity in terms of the identification and early and effective treatment of what is a serious health condition for many of my constituents as well as many others in the south region. The same argument holds true for those who are waiting for the roll-out of BreastCheck in the western regions.

The Tánaiste will be all too aware that in Cork there seems to be a sad trend in Government policy on this issue and on the treatment of cancers in general. We have seen the very public resignation of the consultant oncologist, Oscar Breathnach over what he saw as the lack of effort in introducing a cancer treatment ward at Cork University Hospital. While some movement may now take place, we have continuing uncertainty regarding the children's leukaemia unit at the Mercy University Hospital.

By far the most serious deficiency in terms of an effective health policy in the identification and treatment of cancer exists in the failure to roll out BreastCheck to the rest of the country, including the southern region, until what is promised to be 2007. I refer to this as a promised date as much uncertainty exists as to whether that target will be achieved. As other speakers have said, we have yet to see an advertisement in the EU Journal, which will be followed by a period for the planning process and ensuring the building required to house the appropriate facilities can be operational by 2007. I have had the opportunity of speaking on this matter with the chief executive of BreastCheck and I understand his logistical problems regarding a complete roll-out. However, there must be an acceptance of responsibility, which responsibility I believe is born out of political incompetence and the lack of political will to address this matter.

Cork has one facility concerned with cancer in that it is the location of the National Cancer Registry. It is a somewhat dubious honour to have within our boundaries a national institution which allows us to measure the incidence of cancer while not having the proper facilities to help us with the early identification and treatment of this serious disease. Statistics I have received from the registry seem to indicate that the discrepancy regarding early identification and treatment of breast cancer, particularly in Cork, has already had an effect even before BreastCheck is operational there. The most recent statistics for the eight-year period from 1994 and 2001 show that while the incidence of breast cancer in the Cork region was at or slightly below the national average and certainly below that for the former Eastern Regional Health Authority area, the mortality rates for breast cancer are higher in Cork than the national average and higher than those for the former Eastern Regional Health Authority area.

The incidence of breast cancer in the high age group category, from 50 to 69, increased nationally from approximately 250 per 100,000 to 285 per 100,000. While that is a sad trend, I hope that the existence of BreastCheck in even part of the country helps to alleviate the problem. For all age groups the figure was approximately 85 per 100,000 rising to 105 per 100,000. In the former Eastern Regional Health Authority area those comparative figures were 288 per 100,000 rising to 336 per 100,000. Figures for mortality from breast cancer show that in 1994, there were 93 deaths per 100,000 people in the high age group across the country, which decreased to 80 per 100,000 by 2001, a decrease of 13 per 100,000. However, in the Cork region the mortality figure increased from 68 per 100,000 to 86 per 100,000, an increase of 18 per 100,000. The Tánaiste should ask her officials why the national figures showed a reduction but the Cork area had a massive increase.

The decrease is even more marked in the former Eastern Regional Health Authority area where the death rate in the high age group was 103 per 100,000 reducing to 72 per 100,000 in an eight-year period, a reduction of 31 deaths per 100,000. In the Cork region, which is without a BreastCheck facility or proper cancer care infrastructure, the deaths increased by 18 per 100,000. As a Deputy in that region, I find those statistics unacceptable and believe the Minister and her Department have much explaining to do.

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