Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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184. To ask the Minister for Health to set out the date in 2015 when the age range extension of BreastCheck for women from 65 to 69 years of age will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48730/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I recently announced the extension of the BreastCheck screening programme to women aged 65 to 69 years of age. Planning for this is underway and screening of the extended cohort will commence in quarter 4 of 2015. The age extension will be expanded on an incremental basis in order to manage the additional screening and follow up involved. It will be fully rolled out by 2021. The additional eligible population is approximately 100,000 and, when fully implemented, 540,000 women will be included in the Breastcheck Programme.

Women of any age who have concerns about breast cancer should seek the advice of their GP who will, if appropriate, refer them to the symptomatic breast services in one of the eight designated cancer centres.