Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will fund the provision of a bus service for women in County Donegal to travel to Belfast for BreastCheck programme services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17640/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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It is not intended to fund a bus service to transport women from Donegal to Belfast for breast screening. The National Cancer Screening Service has indicated that the BreastCheck programme will commence in Donegal by September. It is vital to stress that any woman, irrespective of her age or area of residence, who has immediate concerns or symptoms should not wait for an invitation to screening from BreastCheck but should contact her GP who, where appropriate, will refer her to the symptomatic services in her area.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason the roll out of BreastCheck in County Donegal will not happen in 2009; when this life saving service will be made available to the women of Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17643/09]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will clarify the position regarding the roll out of BreastCheck to County Clare; if she will report on whether the moratorium on employment in the public service will affect the roll out to Clare; if so, if she will lift this embargo to facilitate the appointment of personnel to ensure the roll out of this service to the women in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17684/09]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will seek an exemption from the public service recruitment embargo in order to facilitate the roll out of the BreastCheck programme to County Clare in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17798/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237, 242 and 256 together.

BreastCheck will be extended as planned to Donegal, Leitrim and Clare. I have been informed by the National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) that indicative dates for the roll-out are June for County Clare, September to reach County Donegal and October to reach County Leitrim. It is vital to stress that any woman, irrespective of her age or area of residence, who has immediate concerns or symptoms should not wait for an invitation to screening from BreastCheck but should contact her GP who, where appropriate, will refer her to the symptomatic services in her area.

Within the past month, the NCSS applied for a derogation to allow the recruitment of radiographers to extend the BreastCheck service to Donegal, Leitrim and Clare. This is in accordance with procedures put in place under the recruitment moratorium. The Screening Service was permitted to proceed with interviews for radiographers while the application to recruit these posts was under consideration. I am very pleased to confirm that recruitment of radiographers in these counties can now proceed immediately. In the wider context, the scope for redeployment of staff from the HSE to the NCSS, and within the NCSS itself, will continue to be explored.