James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate our commitment in the programme for Government to do this, although Deputies will be aware of the serious budgetary reductions which have occurred over the past years to facilitate our getting this country back on its feet. The Government has done that very successfully to date. There are great challenges in this year's budget with competing priorities and public health, prevention, early detection and screening are very important issues. When we considered the budgetary constraints, we had very difficult choices to make. For example, if we did not invest in diabetic retinopathy screening, citizens would go blind, never to regain their sight. If we did not roll out bowel screening for colorectal cancer, people would again be at risk of presenting late with poor outcomes. There are 12 clinical nurse specialists who have commenced training to carry out colonoscopies through the screening programme, with an additional €2 million for the continued roll-out of bowel screening in the HSE national service plan for 2014. That will facilitate retention of the three-year first round interval for screening in the 60-69 age cohort. This is a serious cancer affecting both men and women.

On top of that we had to consider organ transplants, as we have more living donors prepared to make that most generous of gifts, particularly with kidneys.

Last year was a very successful year when there were 294 successful transplants, up from 239, which is a massive increase. We wish to see this continue and encourage people to be aware of it. There are competing areas for screening and cancer detection, in addition to our initiatives on the human papilloma virus, HPV, vaccine to protect young girls from developing cervical cancer later in life and the continued cervical screening. It is a Government commitment, one that I am very pleased to commit to as soon as possible and certainly within the lifetime of the Government.

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