A cervical cancer screening programme set up in the midwest on a pilot basis in the year 2000 is to be expanded nationally, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Tim O'Malley, has confirmed.
Mr O'Malley told a weekend conference on cervical screening in Limerick that both he and Minister for Health Mary Harney were "fully committed to the national roll-out" of the programme, in line with international best practice.
"The department [of health] is now examining options in relation to the national roll-out," he added.
This is the first clear indication by ministers in the Department of Health that a national cervical screening programme will be established. There has been intensive lobbying from various groups including the Irish Cancer Society for such a programme for some time.
Last December an international expert's report recommended a national cervical screening programme be provided for Irish women as soon as possible.
The report, commissioned by the Health Boards Executive on behalf of the chief executive officers of the health boards, found the screening available to Irish women at present, which is on an "opportunistic" basis "has failed to achieve a significant reduction in the incidence and mortality" from cervical cancer.
The Republic's invasive cervical cancer rate is one of the highest in western Europe, it said.
The report was carried out by Scottish-based consultant cytopathologist Dr Euphemia McGoogan, who was asked to review the effectiveness of a pilot cervical-screening programme in the midwest.
"Phase I of the Irish cervical screening programme in the Mid Western Health Board worked well and provides a sound basis for national roll-out," she concluded.
She estimated it would take at least 18 months to set up a national screening programme for women aged 25 to 60 years.
Now, some six months later, Mr O'Malley says he and Ms Harney have decided to go ahead with a national cervical screening programme, but he was unable to say yesterday when screening would be provided nationally.
"The Tánaiste would have to answer when it will be rolled out. It would have to be discussed at Cabinet," he said, adding that it would have major resource implications.
Deaths from cervical cancer fell substantially in the UK after a national screening programme was introduced there in 1988.
There are about 180 new cases of cancer of the cervix and an average of 73 deaths from the cancer reported in the Republic each year.
"There is general international acceptance that the most effective method of reducing the prevalence of this illness is by way of a quality-assured population-screening programme," Mr O'Malley said.
The weekend conference heard that a national cervical-screening programme could save the lives of more than 60 women in the State each year.