Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

We anticipate that next year some 300,000 women will come forward. As the Deputy knows, this programme is geared to 1.1 million women in the State aged between 25 and 60. I emphasise that the screening programme can reduce the incidence of cervical cancer by over 80% and in an individual context by about 95%. I certainly hope that much of the publicity surrounding this issue will encourage people to participate in the screening programme. As regards BreastCheck, even though our screening rate at just over 70% is high when compared internationally, there are still too many people who do not come forward. We all have a role to play in that regard.

The Government must continue to put in place its eight designated centres and provide the resources in 2009 to do so. It is about choices; it is not about having money to do everything. If there are choices, they must be for treatment today and for having specialist centres with expert staff who we know can deliver better outcomes for patients, which is a priority. In addition, a screening programme has the capacity to reduce greatly the incidence of cervical cancer and, following that, a vaccination programme has a role to play. Seven other European countries, if not eight, have not yet introduced the screening programme.

See this speech in context