Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I did not respond to one of the questions posed by Deputy Varadkar. The universities had nothing to do with the selection of the centres. I know the Deputy has a particular interest in Blanchardstown where many of my friends feel this was the case.

In response to Deputy Flynn, there are no National Cancer Registry data for 2006. My advice is that the data are not available. Our data, the HIPE data which hospitals must submit every year, indicate that there were 43 new cases but I am happy to examine whatever data are available.

The job of Professor Keane will be to implement the strategy. He does not wish to be, nor was he, involved in the selection of the centres. Clearly, his job, the centres having been identified, will be to make it happen. One of his first tasks will be to appoint a team to assist him. He will not be a one-man outfit. He will have a deputy director and a number of key clinicians to help him in the task. He is very keen, in particular, to ensure a buy-in and will come to very flexible arrangements to make this happen as quickly as possible.

On the issue of cervical screening, we allocated some money this year to the national screening programme to begin preparations for a cervical screening programme. It will be rolled out yesterday.

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