Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when BreastCheck will deploy a mobile unit in the Kerry region; when the regional static unit for the Southern region will be operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19383/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I am committed to ensuring that the BreastCheck service is rolled out to the remaining regions in the country as quickly as possible. I have allocated additional revenue funding of €8 million for this year to meet the additional costs involved. The full complement of 111 staff for roll-out has been approved. BreastCheck appointed the Clinical Directors for the South and West last November and has recently appointed three Consultant Radiologists, two Consultant Surgeons and two Consultant Histopathologists, all with a special interest in breast disease. The recruitment of Radiographers and other staff is underway.

I have also made available an additional €26.7m capital funding for the construction of two new clinical units and the provision of five additional mobile units and state of the art digital equipment. The expansion of the BreastCheck programme to the Southern region will cover counties Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Limerick and Tipperary South Riding. The static unit at the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital in Cork will have three associated mobile units and is on schedule for hand-over in September followed by a three week commissioning period. It will be operational in October. Screening in individual counties will be dictated by BreastCheck's management and operational considerations.