Breast cancer proposals will be implemented, Kenny says

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has indicated that the recommendations of a working group on breast cancer will be implemented by the Government.

“The working group has a function,” he said. “I have no wish for it to be like working groups in the past, which did not do anything other than make a report.”

The Taoiseach was replying to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who said the establishment of a working group did not mean a great deal unless it was followed by a commitment to adequately resource the programme or service.

Mr Martin referred to the worldwide coverage and publicity given to the decision by actress Angelina Jolie to have a bilateral mastectomy because she had a mutation of the BRCA1 gene. Her decision to go public was very brave and would save lives, he said. "It has also stimulated debate here and elsewhere on the adequacy of DNA screening programmes," he added.

Relevant mutation
Mr Martin said the Irish Cancer Society had said there were about 360 Irish women who had the relevant mutation in their BRCA genes.

The waiting time for such tests to be carried out, at up to 18 months, was excessive due to a shortage of funding. “This situation is unacceptable, particularly because any woman who receives a positive test result is in a position to make a decision to have surgery which could dramatically reduce her risk of developing cancer,” he added.

“The risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced from 87 per cent to 5 per cent and the risk of ovarian cancer by up to 50 per cent.”

Mr Kenny said a report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) had concluded that if the goal was to maximise health gains using existing resources, and taking account of current international best practice, then annual surveillance using mammograms for those aged 40- 49 years was better than the current arrangements.

For people at high risk, or who had a family history, the reported waiting list was not as long, Mr Kenny said. Where there was no history, doctors had said a test was not absolutely necessary.

At-risk categories
"The HSE national cancer control programme and the report specifically identify the at-risk categories and the strategy and structure for that is being put in place now by the working group," the Taoiseach added.

Referring to Government plans to reorganise the country’s hospitals, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said Irish people were rightly sceptical about false dawns.

“If there is real potential in yesterday’s proposals there must be full consultation with hospital users and local communities,” he said. “They need to know whether these reports will actually affect the quality of health services for them and their families.”

Mr Adams said there were 290 patients on trolleys yesterday morning. Many hospitals had already lost 24-hour accident and emergency services and more would do so.

Mr Kenny said there had been extensive consultation with consultants, doctors, agencies, organisations, the people and with public representatives about the major hospitals, the lower-tier and local hospitals.

He added that contracts would no longer be to individual hospitals but to the group.