Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

On behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister and Health and Children, I am replying to the matter raised by the Deputy. I welcome this opportunity to set out the current position on the BreastCheck programme and, in particular, its extension to 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 year age group. The extension of the programme to the south east commenced last year with a mobile unit providing screening for women in County Wexford. Screening commenced in County Carlow recently and will be extended to County Kilkenny early next year. The expansion to the south-eastern counties will result in an additional 18,000 women being invited for screening.

Since 1998 cumulative revenue funding of approximately €60 million and €12 million capital funding has been allocated to support the programme. Up to the end of October last year the number of women screened by BreastCheck was in the region of 179,000. It is estimated that the cancer detection rate is approximately 7.4 per 1,000 screened. To date over 1,300 cancers have been detected.

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

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 this year. The next stage is to appoint a design team to complete the detailed design of the two units. The advertisement for the appointment of the design team will be placed in the EU Journal shortly.

Capital funding for the facilities at Cork and Galway has been identified under the capital investment framework 2005-09 and both developments will be progressed simultaneously. Funding in the region of €3 million has also been earmarked for the relocation and development of the symptomatic breast disease unit at University College Hospital, Galway. This unit will be developed in tandem with the BreastCheck development. The Health Service Executive, in conjunction with the Department, is examining the health capital investment framework with a view to initiating as quickly as possible new capital commitments, both for this and subsequent years.

The Tánaiste is committed to the national expansion of BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, and is confident that the target date of 2007 for its expansion nationally will be met.

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