Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I repeat that of course this is urgent, and hugely so for the people concerned — there is no issue about that.

In answer to the question on waiting times, those who are classified as urgent get the next available time slot and that works out usually at between two to three days and five weeks, depending on the geographical location. Therefore, they would all be within the period to which Deputy Kenny referred.

An issue is what is urgent and non-urgent. If one is a patient and one is worried, everything is urgent. I understand that but that is the classification that is made.

Professor Keane has stated that in his view of these follow-ups for certain patients for treatment, resources would be far better used for investigations on new patients and that would help these waiting lists dramatically, and he plans to eliminate these follow-ups in developing clinical practice norms. As I stated about the procedures, significant work has already been undertaken in the area of breast cancer, supported by general practitioners, to get a criteria for the development of appropriate referral norms — that work is being done. I will not go back over what I said about the national treatment fund.

Recruitment of the additional consultants under the new consultant contract will be of significant benefit to the HSE's national cancer control programme because it is designed to give a far better service to public patients in particular. It is based on four to one — four public patients to one private patient. Under that contract outpatient and diagnostic services will be provided in public hospitals on a one-for-all basis so patients can be seen in order of medical need at this key entry point to acute hospital services.

The Minister has asked the board of the National Cancer Screening Service to advise her on the introduction of the national cancer screening programme, and that advice will be available mid-year and be informed by screening programmes in place or planned in other countries, including the UK. The service has also requested the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, to conduct an assessment of the colon-rectal cancer screening programme as well.

On the reports, I understand two of the reports are cleared to be published and the Minister hopes to do that. The third report is awaiting a legal clearance, which she hopes will be cleared shortly, but about which she cannot be certain.

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