Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is contradicted by reports in the media at the weekend. Nonetheless, I am sure we will get to the bottom of this issue at some point. I accept it could not have been known what the precise number was going to be, but it would have been known there was going to be an increase. Were any provisions made in advance to deal with that increase? When we examine this, it does not seem as if research was done, information sought or provisions put in place for the necessary increase in resources. I fully respect that the precise number could not have been known, but it was definitely known that there was going to be an increase.

That could have been known just from taking the so-called Jade Goody effect into account. Raising the profile was going to do two things. It was going to ensure that women who had concerns were going to come back, and that would have been evident from the helpline. It also meant that women who had not previously presented for a smear test were also going to take up the offer. It does not seem that work was done in advance to ensure there was additional provision, and that has led to this backlog. That is why many people are angry. Mr. Breslin stated the Minister received advice from the Chief Medical Officer etc. but was anybody working on ensuring there was additional capacity?