James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason she has not published the Health Information and Quality Authority Report, which was promised in September 2009, to identify the way a national programme of colorectal cancer screening could be delivered within existing resources; the date the national programme of colorectal screening will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45574/09]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the financing of the planned colorectal cancer screening programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45550/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 82 together.

Two reports about screening for colorectal cancer were published on 17 June. The first was a report by the National Cancer Screening Service Board on the development of a national colorectal cancer screening programme. The second was a Health Technology Assessment of a population based colorectal cancer screening programme in Ireland, carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

Both reports confirmed that a properly organised screening programme would have huge public health benefits and that population based colorectal cancer screening would be highly cost effective.

I requested HIQA to explore different ways of delivering a high quality colorectal cancer screening programme within existing cancer screening resources, based on the range of advice contained in the two expert reports. This report was provided to me towards the end of October.

I expect also that the HIQA report will be published shortly.