The Government was accused last night of operating an east-west health divide that was putting at risk the lives of women with suspected breast cancer.
Labour's health spokeswoman Liz McManus said thousands of women along the western seaboard from Donegal to Cork were in peril because of the Government's failure to roll out the Breastcheck programme beyond the east.
She said several deadlines to provide the service nationally had been missed since the establishment of the screening programme in 2000.
It was now being predicted the service would not reach the northwest until 2007.
Ms McManus said: "It's a very, very extraordinary situation that women in the east can access Breastcheck screening programmes and those in Sligo and Donegal and right along the west coast to Kerry and Cork cannot. Lives are being endangered and I find that unacceptable."
Ms McManus was speaking before addressing public meetings in Sligo town and Donegal town last night of campaigners seeking early introduction of Breastcheck to the region.
Women currently have to travel round trips of up to 610km/h (380 miles) to Dublin for checks and treatment.
