Protesters furious over health crisis

GOVERNMENT ministers in Cork for yesterday’s Cabinet meeting were greeted by angry demonstrators protesting at ongoing problems in the health service.

Campaigners calling for the immediate roll-out of breast screening services were joined by parents worried that paediatric services for special needs children are on the verge of collapse following the resignation of consultant paediatrician Dr David Coghlan, who ran the clinics.

Women chanting ‘BreastCheck Now’ and ‘Help Our Children’ and members of the BreastCheck Now group released a bunch of pink balloons and donned death-like masks when the Taoiseach and Tánaiste arrived.

Many of those protesting about the lack of breast screening facilities in the South and West were members of the Labour party.

Representatives from the party - including Kerry South TD, Breeda Moynihan-Cronin and Tipperary North, Senator Kathleen Lynch, and Cork City Councillor, Catherine Clancy - handed in up to 1,000 signatures calling for the speedy roll-out of BreastCheck to Government Chief Whip, Tom Kitt.

The programme, which aims to cut breast cancer deaths by 20% in the 50- to 65-year-olds, has been operating in the North East, Dublin and Midlands for five years but its extension to the South and West has been dogged by delays.

Accepting the petition and a letter from the party, Minister Kitt said that the government “recognised the importance of introducing a breast screening service in the south” and that they were due to discuss it.

The letter which called on them to expedite the roll-out of BreastCheck to the South said that the party was “sceptical to say the least” about the Government’s commitment to achieving a 2007 roll-out target date.

“There is no doubting the depth of anger and frustration among women in this area over the health apartheid... whereby women in some parts of the country are denied a critical healthcare service which is available to their counterparts in other areas,” the letter said.

“We are demonstrating here today in memory of our many friends and family who have died from breast cancer. Many of these could have been avoided with breastscreening. We’re not going to stand for any more delays. This is too important,” Kay O’Mahony from Glanmire in Cork said.

Other demonstrators held placards saying “Save Our Children” as they urged the government to act quickly to maintain weekly paediatric clinics when Dr Coghlan leaves his post at the Mercy University Hospital to work in Tallaght.

“That man has done trojan work. His workload was totally unrealistic. He had a huge personal commitment to the job and the sad reality is that they will probably replace him with two consultants now,” said Colette Finn from Glasheen in Cork.

A short history

February, 2000: BreastCheck x-rays in the East.

July, 2002: A plan to extend breast screening to the South and West given to Department.

February, 2003: Approval given for the extension to Wexford, Kilkenny and Carlow.

February, 2003: Minister announced extension to west and south, a target date late 2005.

March, 2004: Screening commenced in Wexford.

September, 2004: Project teams established for BreastCheck units Cork and Galway.