Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Let me finish. I have another question. That is the first point. We know now that the 70-30 rule has been cited all along. I was very much taken by the previous outsourcing exercise because it is a statement of fact. It also says: "We would be concerned that an increase in mortality and morbidity may result in Ireland by using a laboratory with low detection rates."

There is a correlation with NCSS going to Quest Diagnostics and mortality rates. First, there is the 30% of cases that will go undetected based on data from previous outsourcing. Based on that data the mortality rate will increase because of using a laboratory with a lower detection rate. Finally, I also have a letter from Alison Malkin of the school of biological sciences in Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT, of 17 April 2007, which was sent to Mr. Drumm and copied to Mary Harney. Basically, it says that because of the decision to outsource, there would be concerns regarding differences between screening algorithms, reporting systems and quality assurance.

In fairness to all the witnesses, they flagged what transpired to become the main issues, which have left us in a situation where we have a range of problems going forward. My two questions to Dr. Lambkin are on the definite correlation between the previous outsourcing, on which she might elaborate, and the 30% of cases, and fears about mortality rates because of the outsourcing. What she said is quite scary now when we look at it in the modern context.