Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The National Cancer Screening Service Board, which has responsibility for this issue, will be subsumed under Professor Tom Keane as soon as possible because it makes sense to have both screening and treatment under the control of one person. The board was not in a position to go to tender for laboratory services or to sign contracts with general practitioners to provide screening until it found out what resources it would have. We did not know what resources it would have until the budget. A total of €15 million was allocated to the board on top of the €5 million allocated last year. On this basis it is now proceeding, as Deputy Reilly will have heard from his colleagues, with discussions on a proposed 12-month contract. It has also sought expressions of interest from suppliers of laboratory facilities. I am always terrified of giving dates, although I am happy to say——

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