Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. The first issue I want to raise is early breast screening. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in Ireland. Despite medical advances, we still lose too many lives because early detection is not prioritised. Our current screening is for over-50s. We would like to see 40 as the cut-off. We need targeted awareness campaigns to encourage younger women to check for symptoms and access medical advice early. We also need investment in genetic testing for those with a family history of breast cancer, thereby allowing for early intervention. We cannot put a price on women's lives, and delayed screening is costing lives. Early detection is what will save lives. Last year, I had a scare. Thankfully, I got the all-clear, but a friend of mine had the same issue at the same time. We were referred to the same by two different GPs. My GP over-exaggerated the position slightly because she wanted me to get a mammogram. My friend's diagnosis was not over-exaggerated. She came out and was fine too, but at least I got the test. I knew 100% that I was okay. She did not know, and just had to play a guessing game all along. Different doctors will do different things. Referred to the same clinic by two different GPs, we had different experiences. It would be nice to bring the age threshold down just to save on that happening.