Reilly’s BreastCheck Commitment Another Broken Promise

Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe has claimed that thousands of women’s lives are now being put at risk because of the Health Minister’s failure to extend the BreastCheck programme to the over 65s. Minister Reilly had promised to extend the service to women aged 65-69 this year as part of the Programme for Government. but for budgetary reasons he has put it off until 2015 at the earliest.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The BreastCheck screening programme is a vital tool in the early detection of breast cancer in women and has been operating successfully since 2000.

“The aim is to detect breast cancer at an early stage, when any changes in the breast would be too small to feel and when there is a good chance of successful treatment and full recovery.

“Minister Reilly’s decision not to roll out the promised expansion this year is another example of his inept mismanagement of the public health service. The Minister made the pledge in the full knowledge of the country’s economic circumstances, however it has been dropped in the latest HSE Service Plan. The HSE itself has admitted the life saving expansion could have been achieved for as little as €500,000.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Ireland, with more than 2,500 cases diagnosed every year. I am extremely disappointed and concerned about the impact this delay in extending this service to the 65-69 age group particularly as 1 in 10 incidents of cancer occur in that age category.

“Many women who were in the 65-69 age group when the Minister made his promise in 2011 will now lose out on this service, despite the fact that breast cancer deaths are among the highest in the 60-69 age category.

“Minister Reilly’s incompetence in managing his department’s budget is literally putting thousands of women’s lives at risk right across the state. His decision to renege on the promised expansion of this life saving programme will have a devastating impact on the women who are now losing out.

“I am publicly calling on Minister Reilly to review and urgently reconsider his il thought out decision. There is no logic or saving in putting off this preventative program for this age cohort. A half million invested in prevention would save women’s lives and in turn save the state a lot more money.”