Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

I speak from the heart today in the aftermath of recent tragic events. A number of women have been given false positives on foot of mammograms and it is possible that many more women may endure the dreadful experience of a recall. Having had a mammogram at Carlow hospital a few weeks ago, I cannot begin to imagine what those women are going through. When I was waiting for my X-ray, I spoke to women from Carlow and the surrounding districts — friends, neighbours and women I did not know — and we had in common that we were delighted to be getting an opportunity to avail of BreastCheck. Some of us were nervous and others were nonchalant, but all of us were anxious about the outcome. The service I received was superb. After we had our mammograms, we were asked to wait to ensure that the process had been undertaken correctly — that the X-ray had been taken properly, for example — before we were allowed to go home. We all waited for over three weeks before we were delighted to learn we had been pronounced fit and well. It is almost impossible to imagine what it would feel like to be recalled for a further check after a period of anxiety, stress and, to put it mildly, plain terror at the prospect of bad news.

It is easy to take part in the blame game, to score political points, to make accusations and to blind each other with statistics and figures. The only thing that matters now is that we get the service right. We all want specialist centres with multiple checking. If we are sick, we want to get better. We all want the best for our loved ones. People are entitled to expect the best and to have it. The people's servants have to get it right.

The national cancer control programme is comprehensive. The ideas underpinning the proposed structure of cancer centres throughout the country are good. People tend to overlook the fact that good services can only be provided if experts are recruited to a certain place. The designation of eight cancer centres, all of which will meet certain criteria for eligibility, should ensure that consultants and experts are incentivised to work throughout the country. I urge the Minister, Deputy Harney, to get Professor Tom Keane to start the process of establishing the eight centres of excellence as soon as he takes up his post, the week after next.

The roll-out of BreastCheck is continuing throughout the country. More than 63,000 women were screened last year. I urge the Minister to ensure that this service is rolled out across the country quickly. Rather than calling for political heads to roll, we should think of the women whose lives have been traumatised by the recent errors.

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