Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

There are nine HSE rapid access symptomatic breast disease clinics nationally, as the Deputy knows. The HSE has set a target of 95% of urgent referrals being seen within ten working days. Non-urgent referrals should be seen within 12 weeks. The HSE national cancer control programme monitors the performance of these clinics. Last year, national compliance with targets was 76% for urgent and non-urgent referrals but I recognise the variations the Deputy described. While five centres generally met or exceeded the targets during the year, four did not. This is often caused by staff shortages or problems in accessing diagnostics or radiology services.

These clinics consistently operate at full capacity. Unfortunately, any disruption to services can lead to a backlog, which can take time to clear. Where a performance issue arises, the HSE implements site-specific measures, but it may also need to implement regional measures, which we can discuss further. These can include funding additional clinics or providing locum cover where necessary.

The national cancer control programme is also developing new or modified pathways for certain patient cohorts. These aim to make better use of available capacity and provide appropriate access for high-risk patients such as those with a family history of breast cancer. My Department is also reviewing diagnostic services to ensure that capacity is fully maximised. The Government's commitment to cancer services is reflected in significant investment, with more than €105 million provided for cancer services under the national cancer strategy, including €23 million in 2025. Nevertheless, there is a great deal more I would like to say about it. Perhaps I can do so in a supplementary reply.

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