The national screening programme for breast cancer is projected to miss its screening targets for a third consecutive year.
BreastCheck screens women aged 50 to 69 who are well and who have no symptoms of breast cancer, typically every two to three years.
Screening lowers a person’s chance of breast cancer being diagnosed at a later stage, when treatment is more difficult and prognosis more severe.
A spokeswoman for the Health Service Executive (HSE) said it is projected that 170,000 women will be screened this year, out of a target of 219,000, making it the third year in a row in which these targets are not met.
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In 2024, the aim was for 195,000 women to be screened, but only 137,134 checks were carried out.
The target for 2023 was for 185,000 screenings, but only 166,532 checks were performed.
“In the first half of 2025, we have provided breast screening to 80,000 women. We project that we will screen 170,000 women this year from a target of 219,000,” the spokeswoman said.
“This will be a significant increase in numbers screened compared to 2024. There are over 625,000 women eligible for BreastCheck. This number has increased by 19 per cent over the past six years.”
[ Breast cancer diagnoses increase 26% in women under-50Opens in new window ]
The spokeswoman added that the HSE is taking a number of steps in a bid to keep up with demand for the screening service.
“We are expanding capacity – recruiting new consultants and radiographers, adding mobile units, upgrading our IT system, and using new technology such as text reminders and the HSE Health App to make attending easier and reduce the number of women who don’t attend their appointments,” she added.
Steve Dempsey, director of advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society, said breast cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in Ireland and the most common cancer diagnosis among women.
“More than 700 people die from breast cancer here each year. Early detection is vital,” he said.
“Screening can find cancer before you can feel a lump or have any other symptoms. And the sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the more treatment options there are and the better the outcome.”
Mr Dempsey added that the charity is calling for the screening age to be lowered to 45.
The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is considering work to further expand BreastCheck to women aged 46 to 49 and those aged 70 to 74.
NSAC submitted a request to the Health Information and Quality Authority to assess whether there is evidence for a further expansion of the BreastCheck programme.
“We await the committee’s recommendation on whether it is advisable to offer screening to women in these age ranges,” the HSE spokeswoman said.
