James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to introduce the personal health check programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26749/08]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date her Department's personal health check expert group will report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26750/08]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the personal health check national programme is ready to be launched. [27196/08]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the expert group established in 2007 to organise the personal health check national programme will present its report which was due, at the latest, in mid-2008; the findings of this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27206/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 231, 232, 335 and 337 together.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to the development of a freely available and personalised national programme to provide for the prevention and early detection of illnesses for both men and women. The Programme intends that guidelines should be developed for the Personal Health Check based on best available national and international evidence of what works well, with structured call and recall arrangements during a person's life and provision for appropriate clinical follow-up where required.

My Department is at present examining a range of issues which need to be addressed in order to decide how best to proceed in relation to this commitment, in the context of international best practice, our own national health policy and the many competing priorities for heath service development.