Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We have listened to the experts and, in the person of Professor Tom Keane, we have drafted in a world class expert to help us to realise our strategy. With particular reference to breast cancer, we are extending the nationalscreening programme, BreastCheck, and we are backing the strategy to create centres of excellence that will organise, plan, deliver and support the treatment of women both within these centres and in more local hospitals where necessary and appropriate.

It is small consolation, but the suffering of the women caught up in recent events has been a powerful spur to drive on the implementation of the new strategic approach that has at its heart the determination that women will receive the best possible care when faced with the prospect of breast cancer.

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