All women aged between 50 and 64 will be able to avail of free screening for breast cancer from mid-2005, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, said yesterday.
BreastCheck, the screening programme, currently serves half of the women in this at-risk age group.
The Minister's announcement was described by the Labour Party as "a cynical stunt", timed to take the sting out of a protest for better cancer services tomorrow.
The extension of BreastCheck was one of the main aims of the protest, which will be held in Dublin by a coalition of community organisations, trade unions and Opposition TDs.
BreastCheck was introduced in early 2000 in the Eastern, North Eastern and Midland regions, with a promise to extend it to cover the State.
Last month, it was extended to include Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford. Yesterday, Mr Martin said it would expand to include Galway, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipperary.
The BreastCheck clinical unit in the western area will be at University College Hospital Galway, with two mobile units, while the southern unit will be at the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital, Cork, with three mobile units.
The Labour Party's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, said the Minister's commitment to the nationwide extension of BreastCheck was welcome but long overdue.
Dr Jerry Cowley, Independent Mayo TD and march organiser, welcomed the extension of BreastCheck but said the protest would still go ahead. It will begin at Parnell Square at 1 p.m. and march to the Dáil.
