Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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105. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware that a charity (details supplied) recently called for additional resources to reduce very long waiting lists for preventative surgery for women at high risk of cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7663/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Cancer Control Programme will shortly commence an active data collection at the locations currently providing preventative surgeries for people at high risk of developing cancer. This review will focus on patient activity and available resources.

In terms of broader supports for patients at high risk of developing cancer, the National Cancer Strategy provides for the further development of a programme for hereditary cancers. This will ensure that evaluation, counselling, testing and risk reduction interventions are available as appropriate, and that services are available to patients on the basis of need.

Additional funding of €40m allocated to the Cancer Strategy in 2021 and 2022 has included €1.1m investment in cancer genetics services, including:

- Recruitment of 12 staff to cancer genetics services.

- Development of GP referral guidelines for breast family history.

- Completion of a needs assessment for those with a BRCA gene alteration, focused on the identification and assessment of those with possible hereditary cancer risk, developed with a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives of those with a BRCA gene alteration.

- Planning for consent training for health care professionals delivering mainstream BRCA testing.

- An Advisory Group for Hereditary Cancer which is working to develop a framework model of care for hereditary cancer services, incorporating the identification of those with an inherited cancer predisposition and their ongoing management.