This investment has enabled the funding of 76 additional consultant posts. This includes approval for nine new consultant posts with a special interest in breast disease. This investment is a major element of the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the subgroup on the development of services for symptomatic breast disease. Professor Niall O'Higgins was the principal architect of this report and he is also a member of the board of BreastCheck. The Minister has invested considerably in this programme for the provision of services for symptomatic breast disease in recent years and further investment is required.