3583. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health her plans to further expand the age range for the national bowel screening programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61790/26]

As Minister for Health, I am committed to supporting our cancer screening programmes, which are a vital component of our health services. They enable early treatment and care for many people, thereby improving the overall health of our community.

BowelScreen, the national bowel screening programme, invites men and women aged 57–71 to take a free at-home screening test. The Programme for Government commits to extend the BowelScreen cancer screening programme.

In terms of progress, BowelScreen has been successfully extended to five additional age cohorts since 2023, with the most recent extension being completed in April 2026 (to include those aged 57 and 71).

Additionally, in April 2026, I approved a recommendation from the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC), the independent expert group that considers proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes, on the proposed extension of BowelScreen to those aged 50–54.

The full extension of BowelScreen to those aged 50-74 remains a key ambition of mine. However, this will take a number of years to complete, in order to ensure that there is sufficient capacity in the health system to diagnose and treat those who receive a positive screening result in a timely manner.

Finally, it should be emphasised that population-based screening programmes are for people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms, or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact a medical professional.