Vol. 540 No. 1
275 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health and Children the position in relation to the BreastCheck initiative; and if he will make a statement on the projected time scale for the inclusion of the North-Western Health Board. [19891/01]
BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme commenced in February 2000. Phase 1 of the programme has commenced in the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Midland Health Board and North-Eastern Health Board areas and offers free mammography to women aged between 50 and 64 years living in those areas. Based on the 1996 census, it is estimated that there are approximately 140,000 eligible women living within the phase one area of the pro gramme and BreastCheck has recently informed me that up to 20 June 2001, a total of 41,630 women have been invited for screening.
It is the intention of my Department that phase two of the programme, which will involve the extension of BreastCheck nationwide, should follow phase one as soon as is practicably possible. The decision to proceed on a phased basis is a reflection of the complexities involved in the screening process and it is essential that the programme is driven by international quality assurance criteria and best practice.
