Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the opportunity this evening to address the issues raised by the Deputy and to set out the current position on the roll-out of the national breast screening programme. The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, met representatives of BreastCheck and they are fully aware of her wish to have a quality assured programme provided for the remaining regions in the country as quickly as possible. Essential elements of the roll-out must be in place, including adequate staffing, effective training and quality assurance programmes. At a meeting with Department officials this morning, BreastCheck reported that significant progress has been made in preparation for the roll-out. Additional revenue funding of €2.3 million has been made available to BreastCheck to meet additional costs of roll-out and an additional 69 posts have been approved. BreastCheck has appointed clinical directors for the southern and western regions and both will take up their positions in November of this year. The clinical directors are currently undergoing additional training. The recruitment of consultants and other staff, including radiographers, is under way.

BreastCheck requires considerable capital investment in the construction of two new clinical units and in the provision of five additional mobile units and state-of-the-art digital equipment. An additional €21 million in capital funding has been made available to BreastCheck for this purpose. BreastCheck reported this morning that it has appointed construction contractors for the static units at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, and University College Hospital Galway. The BreastCheck clinical unit in the western area at University College Hospital Galway will have two associated mobile units. Almost 58,000 women are in the target population for invitation to screening.

A breast screening programme is a complex, multidisciplinary undertaking that requires considerable expertise and management involving population registers, call and recall systems, mammography, pathology and appropriate treatment and follow-up. A programme must be quality assured and acceptable to women who attend for screening. The first phase of the programme is of a high quality, and a similar quality in the south and the west is essential. BreastCheck is confident that the target of next year for the commencement of roll-out to the southern and western regions will be met. However, it has advised the Department that it is not possible to issue timelines for individual counties at this stage.

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