Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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580. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to introduce a free, organised national prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening programme for men from age 40; the estimated number of men aged 40 to 69 in Ireland; the scale and costs involved; whether the National Screening Advisory Committee has completed its health technology assessment; and when a decision can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67240/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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581. To ask the Minister for Health the date on which the National Screening Advisory Committee and Health Information and Quality Authority will finalise their health technology assessment on a prostate cancer screening programme; if there are plans to offer interim free PSA tests; if men aged 40 to 69 in the current pilot will be allowed to continue screening beyond the pilot sites; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67241/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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582. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on evaluation timelines for Ireland's PRAISE U/ProstateCheck pilot involving 5,000 men in Dublin and Waterford; whether preliminary results have been shared; when these results will be published; if there are plans to extend opt-in PSA screening to all men aged 40 to 69 nationally, particularly those at high-risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67242/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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583. To ask the Minister for Health the cost-effectiveness modelling that has been carried out for organised PSA plus digital rectal examination screening starting at age 40 to 69; whether Irish cost-benefit analyses indicate net savings across this age group; the assumptions on uptake, overdiagnosis, potential harms, and subsequent treatments that were made; the monetary and health outcomes that can be expected from full implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67243/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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584. To ask the Minister for Health the national public-awareness and behaviour change campaigns planned to encourage men aged 40 to 69 to take part in prostate-cancer screening; whether a dedicated campaign will be developed; the way in which regional inequities in incidence and survival will be addressed; the supports that will be made available to men hesitant to seek PSA testing due to cost or stigma; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67244/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 to 584, inclusive, together.

As Minister for Health, I am committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.

The Programme for Government commits to advancing men’s health in tandem with the investment and progress seen in women’s healthcare. It also commits to research, implement and evaluate cancer prevention and early detection initiatives, including prostate cancer.

I would note that any proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes, including the potential introduction of a prostate cancer screening programme, will be facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols.

The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is the independent expert group that considers proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes. NSAC assesses the evidence in a robust and transparent manner and against internationally accepted criteria, before making recommendations to myself as Minister.

NSAC continues to progress work to consider the further expansion of our cancer screening programmes and has submitted several requests to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

HIQA is currently focused on concluding a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to examine a proposed extension of the BowelScreen programme to those aged 50-54 years. Work on this is at an advanced stage, with a report expected to be submitted to NSAC for consideration in December 2025.

Additionally, and at the request of NSAC, HIQA have also commenced a separate HTA to consider the proposals for the expansion of the BreastCheck programme. This review will comprise two elements; the proposed extension of the age range eligibility to those aged 45-49 and 70-74, and also the potential introduction of a standardised breast density notification.

HTAs facilitate the assessment of relevant evidence and knowledge on the effects and consequences of healthcare technologies to guide decisions regarding the appropriate use of technology and efficient allocation of resources. They involve a multi-disciplinary assessment of the clinical, economic, ethical, legal and societal perspectives that may be impacted by the introduction of a new technology. They are time intensive and rigorous processes.

I have been informed that proposals for a prostate cancer screening programme have not yet been referred by NSAC to HIQA to undergo a HTA, pending the results of a number of ongoing European research initiatives. NSAC’s current priority in terms of cancer screening is to conclude the BowelScreen and BreastCheck HTAs.

In this regard, it is worth noting that in late-2024, NSAC established a Cancer Screening Subgroup to provide additional expertise to support the Committee’s decision-making processes. The subgroup has developed a prioritisation framework, to provide an evidence-based approach to identifying which of the cancer screening proposals on the NSAC work programme should be next referred to HIQA for evidence review. The subgroup will use its framework to make recommendations to NSAC in early 2026.

In terms of the international evidence with regards to prostate cancer screening, under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, an updated European Council (EC) Recommendation on Cancer Screening, was published in December 2022. The Recommendation calls, amongst other things, for member states to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of a screening programme using PSA testing for men, in combination with MRI scanning as a follow-up test.

My Department is coordinating Irish inputs into a four-year EU4Health-funded Joint Action project, titled EUCanScreen (2024-2028), which is aimed at coordinating research activities associated with the EC Recommendation across Europe.

Additionally, I welcome the involvement of Irish-based researchers in another EU4Health funded project, titled PRAISE-U, which is exploring the feasibility of risk-stratified screening for prostate cancer to help reduce morbidity and mortality caused by the disease, while avoiding overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. For further information on the PRAISE-U project, can be found on its dedicated website (www.uroweb.org/praise-u).

The findings from the aforementioned EU studies will contribute to the overall evidence base for future consideration by NSAC.

Finally, I would emphasise that screening programmes are for people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms, or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact a medical professional immediately.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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585. To ask the Minister for Health the steps the National Cancer Control Programme and HSE will take to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment resulting from PSA testing, to ensure adherence to updated clinical guidelines on follow-up biopsies and imaging; whether HIQA has guidelines and clinical safety protocols in place; the way in which patient quality-of-life outcomes will be monitored following positive results and subsequent treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67245/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.