Mr. Damien McCallion:

I can only say the information is from the RCOG. Its expectation is that it will be completed within that sort of period.

On sourcing laboratories, we have identified some capacity. We have been working in the past few weeks to go through all of the capacity, operational and legal elements. As we are at a critical stage, I am being cautious in what I say, but we have identified some capacity that will be of help. As I stated, two of the laboratories have made significant improvements. They have also identified further capacity. As I mentioned to Deputy O'Reilly, we will be making quality assurance visits. There is a new pre-inspection process, to which Dr. Doherty referred, that a laboratory must go through as part of the quality assurance process. There will be on-site visits against an updated quality assurance standard and they are being scheduled rapidly in order to ensure we will get to a point where we can secure the capacity identified. It is a real challenge which I am not underestimating. Globally, finding cytology laboratories, where there is a move to HPV testing, is difficult. That is the other reason we want to move to HPV testing as quickly as possible.

On outsourcing, we have recognised that we need to invest in the public system, as we are doing in the Coombe, but it will take a little time. However, it is not only about construction, although that is an important element. Designs are being pulled together and fast-tracked as best we can and in so doing we have received good support from our own estates people. It is also about ensuring we have the medical manpower, something which can be quite complex. As I said, it is a highly specialised area and there were never many of the people required in the country. We have talked to some of those who were involved in the specialty previously to try to re-engage them. We are trying to grow and develop the consultant workforce, for which we have started to pull together some plans. Recruiting screeners is also challenging. I acknowledge the support the Coombe hospital and its board have given to us throughout this difficult period. We are committed to getting the programme going as quickly as we can. We will still need to have a partner for a significant number of years. Our aim is to get the Coombe hospital up to a figure of 50% within a two-year period, but, as I said, we will need a partner. There is a limited pool of companies that do this work and we must be careful in how we manage our communications and engagement. The procurement strategy we have picked for HPV testing allows us to engage in dialogue with the market because otherwise there would be a real risk that we would be left without a partner. We must make sure we can secure one. We were involved in pre-market engagement before Christmas which was very successful and in which there was good interest. However, there is only a small number of providers that offer this service and we must try to make sure we will bring someone with us in order to ensure we will move to HPV screening.