Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this. As he said, if it saves one life, it will be important. I reiterate how important it is that people are invited to screening appointment, they take it up. Some 13,000 people in Ireland a year are diagnosed with skin cancer. I was one of those people this year. Thankfully, even though I had a malignant tumour, I was lucky that I got the all clear recently after two procedures. It does focus the mind when you realise that there can be positive outcomes if it is caught early enough.

The latest cancer trends report, published by the National Cancer Registry Ireland recently, focuses on cancers that are currently screened for, including breast cancer. The report highlighted the positive effect BreastCheck has had on breast cancer incidence and mortality in Ireland. The Minister and myself are committed to the further expansion of screening in Ireland. It is something I will keep a close eye on because of the points the Deputy made in favour of extending the programme to those aged 45 and aged 74. Population-based screening programmes must be considered thoroughly and carefully and assessed against international accepted criteria but all the criteria and international best practice are going in the same direction. I am positive that we can move on this.

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