Dr. Adrienne Duff:

To respond specifically to Deputy Durkan, on accreditation and the requirements of the ISO standard, the screening performed at the Manchester site is not considered to be referral under the accreditation definitions. The samples were being screened by MedLab Pathology at two locations in Dublin and Manchester. There are other mechanisms by which laboratories can outsource and refer samples but those that were screened in Manchester were not referred out. They were MedLab samples, fully under its control, and their screening was performed by competent staff who were authorised, trained and fully under the supervision of MedLab. The results were issued from Dublin. The common system of management has been confirmed and verified by INAB annually since the awarding of accreditation in 2011.