Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the review of the breast check screening process; if the service will be extended to include citizens over 40 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51966/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The BreastCheck Programme provides free mammograms to all women aged 50-64. The Programme for Government includes the extension of BreastCheck to women in the 65-69 age group, in keeping with EU Guidelines on effective screening for breast cancer.

The review of the BreastCheck Programme was commissioned by my Department to explore whether there are potential efficiencies within the BreastCheck screening process, which could be exploited in order to move more quickly towards expanding the target age group for screening.

The review has concluded and has been submitted to my Department. It is being studied by my officials who will brief me shortly on its content.

I am committed to extending the national breast screening programme to women in the 65-69 age group and I will make the review available to all, when I have had a chance to examine it.