Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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326. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 645 of 6 November 2018, if the familial breast cancer risk assessment service in St. James's Hospital will be restored in early 2019; if the hospital will have adequate resources to meet the demand on a third mammography machine in 2019; if the replacement of essential equipment can be arranged before the end of life period for older machines to ensure there are no gaps in service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47679/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The intention is to restore the Familial Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Service in St James's Hospital as early as possible in the new year.  A third mammography machine will be installed then and it is hoped that any required staffing resources will be made available under the 2019 National Service Plan.

The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme in conjunction with HSE Estates works to oversee the replacement and refreshment of equipment on an ongoing basis in line with available resources.  In this case, the third mammography machine is an extra machine rather than a replacement.