Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health his views on the progress of the national colorectal screening programme; and if he will list the sites of such screening centres currently running [42634/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Colorectal cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among both men and women in Ireland. Approximately 2,200 new cases are diagnosed each year, and it is cause of death in around 950 people each year. Colorectal screening works on two fronts: it provides early detection and therefore earlier and more effective treatment, and it helps to prevent cancer in the first place by detecting pre-cancerous growths such as polyps. It is therefore imperative that the programme commences and continues on a sustainable basis.

Plans for the implementation of a national colorectal screening programme are at an advanced stage within the HSE-National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) and the programme will be introduced on a phased basis in quarter four 2012, as stated in the HSE Service Plan 2012. When fully implemented the programme will offer free screening to men and women aged 55-74 every two years. As 50% of cancers within this age group are found in people aged 60-69 the programme will begin with this age cohort (a population of approximately 500,000).

The screening programme is the first call/ recall screening programme in Ireland to be offered to men as well as women. Organised population-based call, re-call screening for colorectal cancer is complex and to ensure quality and safety it is imperative that it is introduced in a carefully managed and monitored way to ensure that risks to patients are minimised and best clinical outcomes are maximised. Over time the phasing of the programme will allow development of colonoscopy capacity to cater for the full 55-74 year old population.

The HSE-NCSS and the Special Delivery Unit in my Department have been working together to develop the appropriate capacity in colonoscopy services nationwide to support the introduction, sustainability and growth of the screening programme, while maintaining and enhancing the capability of the symptomatic endoscopy service. The focus is on improving quality and access at all publicly-funded screening colonoscopy units, not just for those referred for colonoscopy as part of the screening programme, but for all men and women who require a colonoscopy or any other diagnostic endoscopic procedure. This will be achieved by building sufficient capacity in endoscopy services nationwide to sustain the implementation of the national screening programme, while maintaining and enhancing the symptomatic service.

Fifteen candidate colonoscopy units have been identified around the country to support the screening programme and these must achieve accreditation in order to provide colonoscopy services on behalf of the programme.