Cancer Screening Programmes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2014

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Questions (440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 564, 565, 571, 587, 590)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

440. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will extend BreastCheck, the national free breast screening programme, to women aged between 65 and 69 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28657/14]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

441. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plan to extend BreastCheck screening to women aged between 65 and 69, as outlined in the 2011 programme for Government. [28680/14]

Anthony Lawlor

Question:

442. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Health when the BreastCheck free screening service for women aged between 65 and 69 years will be rolled out; if he will confirm whether the extension to this age group will be included in the Health Service Executive's national services plan for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28683/14]

Terence Flanagan

Question:

443. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the age for free mammograms through the BreastCheck screening programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28561/14]

Noel Harrington

Question:

444. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health when he will extend the BreastCheck scheme to women aged between 65 and 69 years in line with the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28588/14]

Thomas Pringle

Question:

445. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will provide for the extension of BreastCheck to women aged between 65 and 69, as outlined in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28604/14]

Michael Lowry

Question:

564. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will sanction the extension of BreastCheck, the national free breast cancer screening programme, to women aged between 65 and 69 years, as was promised in the programme for Government; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 10% of breast cancer patients are in the 65 to 69 year age group and this group also has high mortality rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28412/14]

John Lyons

Question:

565. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the BreastCheck screening programme to women aged between 65 and 69 years in line with a programme for Government commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28415/14]

Brendan Smith

Question:

571. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals he has to extend BreastCheck to women aged between 65 and 69 years during 2014 in view of the commitments made in the programme for Government and in Future Health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28453/14]

Clare Daly

Question:

587. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the BreastCheck screening range to those between the ages of 65 and 69 years in view of the fact that a significant proportion of women are diagnosed in this age range. [28505/14]

Seamus Healy

Question:

590. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the extension of BreastCheck to the 65 to 69 year age group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28530/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 to 445, inclusive, 564, 565, 571, 587 and 590 together.

The BreastCheck Programme provides free mammograms to all women aged 50-64. A priority of the BreastCheck Programme at present is to maximise national uptake in the 50-64 year age cohort.

It is my intention to extend the upper age range to include the 65-69 age cohort as soon as possible in line with available resources.