Mr. Stephen Teap:

The Deputy asked when, since the beginning of this, we got clarification on the 10% limitation of screening. I remember being glued to the proceedings of this committee, the Dáil and the news at the beginning of this when I saw all these figures, the 10%, 15%, 20% and 30%, being thrown around. Nobody had a clue or had been given an explanation at any stage of what the limitations of screening were. They still do not know today. Some clarification is being given in the percentages, but the first time everybody started singing from the same sheet was when Dr. Gabriel Scally released his report in September last year. He said that 15 out of 20 women will be read correctly and in HPV screening 18 out of 20 women will be read correctly. That is the first time we got some form of clarification on the numbers. This is what I mean about having one document we can all refer to but, unfortunately, we still do not have a document that gives an explanation of what somebody means when they speak about the limitation of screening. Every time we hear somebody say the words "limitation of screening" we must ask the person what he or she means by that and listen to what he or she says.