Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)

Self-examination is key. If anyone takes anything from my speech today, I plead with them to hear the words "self-examination". The Minister is very passionate about health. I welcome the opportunity to speak to her today about BreastCheck and breast cancer.

As we are all aware, breast cancer is the commonest invasive cancer among women. It touches the lives of thousands of individuals and families in Ireland and leaves a lasting impact. I know that only too well from my own family. Almost every person in Ireland knows somebody in their family who has faced this diagnosis. Only last week, one of my dear friends was diagnosed with breast cancer, thankfully early, because of BreastCheck. Some families have lost people far too soon but, thankfully, BreastCheck is saving lives by offering free mammograms to those aged 50 to 69. It is helping to get breast cancer before it becomes advanced, with early detection, aiding in treatment and by providing support.

We are making great strides. The Minister mentioned that. She gave us a great introduction. At total of 3,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Ireland. It is estimated that one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and one in 700 men.

Today, I want to speak about how we must improve breast cancer services in Ireland. To begin, we need to lower the age. I welcome what the Minister said earlier. We must also expand the age. We should open the screening out. I am going to turn 50 on 26 August. I am letting everybody know now as we might have a little party.

As soon as I wake up on that morning, I am registering for BreastCheck. Some 13% of women are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 44 and 26% of women between 45 and 54, but I was not aware that a further 19% of women over the age of 75 are diagnosed. The BreastCheck programme must include those aged 45 to 49 and 70 to 74. We know that diagnosis leads to better outcomes and we should align ourselves with the upper age limit in the EU of 74.

I appreciate that the Minister has reported the NSAC is progressing work to consider the further expansion of the cancer screening programmes and has submitted a request to HIQA to assess the evidence for a proposed expansion of the age range eligibility of the BreastCheck programme, in particular for those aged 45 to 49 and 70 to 74. I strongly support this. I urge that it would happen sooner rather than later. If we know BreastCheck saves lives, then let us save more lives.

I wish to raise something I knew nothing about until it was raised by my colleague, Senator Cosgrove, that is, breast density. I never even heard of it until she said it. Nearly 50% of Irish women have dense breasts, which masks tumours on mammograms. We cannot tell how dense our breasts are by looking at them or feeling them. Dense breast tissue appears white on a mammogram. The big "but" is that cancer also appears white on a mammogram. I urge that we would research this more and make patients aware of it at their exam. Do they need a triple check breast exam, like they have in the Mater hospital?

We must boost screening and uptake access. Marginalised communities have a lower uptake and they often face significant disparities. I refer to rural residents, low-income populations, immigrants and people with disabilities. Going back to what my colleague, Senator Maria Byrne, mentioned, let us get the 27% of people who are not going to BreastCheck. Let us do a little advertising campaign for them and get them to attend.

Significant investment continues to be made in the cancer screening programmes. The Minister mentioned that additional funding of €2.9 million was allocated to BreastCheck, which I very much welcome, but we must commit to building and actioning a system that is faster and fairer for every mother, daughter, sister, friend, and man who faces this diagnosis.