Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I have made an early bid.

A more serious matter is the roll out of breast cancer screening in the north west. Perhaps the Leader would put this issue on the agenda for an urgent debate in the new year. The people of the north west do not know where they stand in this process. On a political level they are being told it will be rolled out in 2007 but, at executive level, they are being told the roll out will start in 2007 and will take two years. That means it will be 2009 before the service is fully implemented. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that all the north west will be covered.

Over 50,000 women in the east were screened for breast cancer in the 2004 programme. Of that number, 1,687 had to return for assessment and, of those, 309 were diagnosed with breast cancer. With early intervention there is hope of a good outcome. However, the system is inequitable for the people of the north west, who have strong sentiments about this issue and want clarification. Will the Leader arrange an urgent debate in the new year on the breast screening programme?