The Health Service Executive’s BreastCheck national screening programme has failed to meet its screening targets for two consecutive years, according to newly released data, reports RTE.
Last year, the programme aimed to screen 195,000 individuals, but only 137,134 mammograms were carried out.
In 2023, the goal was to screen 185,000 people, but only 166,532 were actually screened.
These statistics were obtained through a parliamentary question submitted by Peadar Tóibín, the leader of Aontú, reports RTE.
BreastCheck offers free breast cancer screening every two years for people aged 50 to 69.
Approximately 3,500 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed each year in Ireland.
Mr Tóibín warned that a decline in screening will increase cancer incidence, lead to more advanced diagnoses, and cause additional deaths. He stressed that cancer screening is a vital service and cuts could result in tragic outcomes, reports RTE.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has asked the National Screening Service to present her with an action plan in the coming weeks to boost the number of mammograms offered.
Responding to the figures, the HSE said the screening shortfall is due in part to a global shortage of radiology professionals.
The organisation acknowledged it has not been able to scale up screening efforts in line with the rising population.
“Despite these pressures, we are expanding capacity – recruiting new consultants and radiographers, adding mobile units, upgrading our IT system and using new technology such as text reminders,” reports RTE.
The HSE also stated that it is prioritising those most at risk, those who have waited the longest, and people in communities with lower access to screening services.
They added that the screening uptake remains strong, at 72% last year, which is above the programme’s 70% benchmark.
BreastCheck services were paused during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, which affected operations, reports RTE.
In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, only 56,270 screenings were conducted.
Meanwhile, cervical screening exceeded expectations last year, with over 194,800 screenings performed, surpassing the target of 178,000.
In contrast, BowelScreen fell short of its 148,000 goal, with just over 139,750 completed tests.
The head of the National Screening Service noted that the number of individuals aged 50-69 has been growing annually, but staff hiring has not kept pace, reports RTE.
Speaking on RTÉ’s *oday with Claire Byrne*, Fiona Murphy said there is a continent-wide shortage of radiographers and radiologists, and hiring in this sector has proven “particularly difficult”, reports RTE.
“Whilst we have recruited quite a few staff over the last couple of years, and the Government have funded us to increase even more this year, we know this is a global issue, it’s not just us,” she said.
Ms Murphy advised that anyone expecting to be called for a screening, but who hasn’t yet been contacted, should check their registration online and ensure their phone number is current.
She added that it’s “really important” for women to understand what’s normal for their own bodies, and that information about how to check breasts is available on the HSE’s website, reports RTE.
Minister Carroll MacNeill confirmed that she has asked the National Screening Service to prepare an Action Plan aimed at increasing mammogram availability, which she expects to receive shortly.
In a statement, she said a key topic at a 1 July meeting with the service was “the number of women screened in the BreastCheck programme” and also “efforts to reduce the number of women waiting longer than two years for a routine screening. The Government is fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes and advancing cancer screening,” reports RTE.
“Significant investment in cancer screening and women’s health has been made in recent years, including the 2025 budget, which allocated €2.9m to BreastCheck,” reports RTE.
“Ireland has the 5th highest uptake of breast cancer screening in the EU,” the minister said, reports RTE.
Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power said the missed target will result in women being diagnosed with more difficult-to-treat cancers.
Speaking to RTÉ’s *News At One*, she said: “The programme operates for between 50 to 69, but we know that women are now being called at 52 or 53, rather than at 50,” reports RTE.
Ms Power said the charity is deeply concerned by the fact that 60,000 fewer women were screened than planned.
“We are not surprised because it is an entirely predictable outcome of underinvestment in cancer services and in particular of the HSE recruitment embargo,” she said.
It “meant that there were less radiographers in breast check in 2024 than 2023,” Ms Power said, reports RTE.
She emphasised the real-world consequences of the issue.
“While most breast cancers are picked up when women notice changes in their breast and are referred to their GP for further investigation, screening also has a really important role to play … in picking up earlier stage ones that are too small for you to see or feel yourself,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms Power warned that the shortfall of 60,000 screenings means more women will likely be diagnosed at later stages of the disease, making treatment more challenging.
“Screening is there for a reason and these targets are there for a reason, which is to save lives. And when the services are being underfunded to the extent that it has been in the last few years we are missing opportunities to do that,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms Power also noted that while 20 additional radiographers were included in the last budget, that number needs to be doubled.
“We really need to see a massive increase in investment in the budget,” she said, reports RTE.
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