Harney to open two new prostate cancer clinics

Health Minister Mary Harney is officially opening two new rapid-access clinics today to aid in the early diagnoses of prostate cancer.

GPs will be able to refer patients considered to be at high risk of the disease to the clinics at Galway University Hospital and St James's Hospital in Dublin.

This will help them bypass the waiting lists for general urology clinics.

Around 2,400 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland every year.

Around 550 die from the disease each year.