Health Services
Seanad Éireann — 2026-09-23
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

I thank the Minister of State for being so responsive. No one is disputing this, and we are totally in favour of extending the BreastCheck to both sides of the existing age range. It is a wonderful service and it is picking up many cancers. If someone has dense breast tissue it does not appear often as a lump. It is like a spider web and women are not feeling it. They have been encouraged to check their own breasts. If they have dense breast tissue, it is not showing up as a lump. At the moment we are not even looking at a second mammogram or ultrasound being referred. It is about women being told the information in order that they can decide if they want to do it privately themselves. I can see what the HIQA report will hopefully recommend, that is, that if dense breast tissue is showing up, women are to be referred for a second mammogram or ultrasound or biopsy; whatever is appropriate.
In my experience, when I was referred, it was really quick. Unfortunately, it was not in Sligo, and I had to go to Galway but it was really fast. I had a second mammogram and I had an ultrasound. I did not need to get a biopsy. What we are looking for in the interim before the HIQA report is concluded is that women are given the information so they can see that maybe they do need to pay for a second mammogram or maybe they need to look for an ultrasound. It is just so they have access to their own information.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-09-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-23