Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader arrange an urgent debate on the HSE and, in particular, the roll-out of BreastCheck? As Members know, I and others have often raised the matter of discrimination against people in the north west and the delay being perpetrated upon them by the national cancer screening service, NCSS.

Last week, the chief executive of the NCSS, Mr. Tony O'Brien, addressed the Joint Committee on Health and Children and, in the context of the delivery of this vital service to the people of the north west, he stated: "Our screening schedules are dictated by operational considerations alone and we will not be swayed in terms of sequencing." How does the NCSS determine its sequencing and what does "operational considerations" mean? He also stated that BreastCheck remains on schedule. I recall attending a meeting three years ago with the Minister for Health and Children and the mayor of Sligo, among others, at which we were assured that by the end of 2006 BreastCheck would be rolled out in the north west, but that has not happened. However, we are told that it is on schedule.

I was insulted when Mr. O'Brien stated: "BreastCheck will not, therefore, compromise on this quality remit to satisfy any political, with a small "p", or public demand for the introduction of the service." That is offensive in the extreme.