Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for coming in. Has a new director of public health been appointed? What is the status of the independent patient safety council, if the witnesses have that information?

I do not want to repeat questions that were already asked and I have been keeping an eye on what has been going on. In terms of the eradication of cervical cancer, and we have spoken here before about the Australians being on track to eradicate cervical cancer within ten years from when they started, how we are we doing with our target? I know it was discussed here and that the witnesses could not give a date for HPV testing technically superseding, although not getting rid of, cervical screening. While the witnesses cannot give a date, I am very conscious that on 10 October, Dr. Denton, the lady from Scotland who was here with Dr. Scally, said that from the inception of the idea of bringing in HPV testing, theoretically, the system could be up and running within a year. Are we on target? Can the witnesses give some information on that?

We have a backlog of screening, an issue that was dealt with this morning. In terms of knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer, reference was made to the Jade Goody effect ten years ago, when she tragically died at a very young age from cervical cancer and there was a massive uptake of the cervical programme in the UK and Ireland. In light of all that has happened, is it true that more women in the cohort are engaging and are more aware? We heard from the victims but also the medical evidence that there were gaps in people's information and perhaps there was an over-reliance on smears without consideration of symptoms such as bleeding and discomfort. Perhaps one of the witnesses could speak to that point.

To go back to HPV testing, there will be a transition period from the current CervicalCheck programme to the more robust, more accurate, but not perfect HPV screening, and Dr. McKenna mentioned it would require 15% cytology. In terms of our laboratory capacity, I am very conscious of Quest Diagnostics. While I did not bring Dr. Scally's report with me this morning, there was an issue with the ISO accreditation in those laboratories and how Quest in particular had accredited itself to an American standard over the ISO standard. When it comes to the transition to HPV testing, my question is whether we can, as a committee, be sure the contracts will be correct and that in regard to those who get the contracts, whether in Ireland or elsewhere, there will be no discrepancy between the standards in the contract and the standards in the laboratories.