Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. After 15 years there have been over 950,000 mammograms, which is great news. As Deputy O'Donnell noted, these women are somebody's mother, sister, aunt or grandmother. It is more difficult for people to recover from an illness later in life and deaths from breast cancer are the second highest rate in the 60-69 age group. We are missing four years of that cohort in the current BreastCheck programme.

I welcome the Minister's statement that he is keen to implement this as soon as possible. I urge that it be done this year if possible and it would be great if the Minister could give us a timeframe. With all types of cancer and illnesses that can be screened, people should be vigilant, as the Minister indicated. This programme cannot cater for everybody as we are under budgetary constraints. People should be vigilant as well as availing of the screening if required. Will the Minister keep us abreast - to use an apt word - of what is happening?

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