Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I am committed to the national roll-out of a cervical screening programme in line with international best practice. International evidence demonstrates the proven efficacy of programmes that are effectively managed and meet quality assurance standards. Careful planning and consultation with relevant professional and advocacy stakeholders is required before I make policy decisions on a national roll-out.

The former Health Board Executive commissioned an international expert in cervical screening to examine the feasibility and implications of a national roll-out of a cervical screening programme. The examination included an evaluation of the current pilot programme in the mid-western area, quality assurance, laboratory capacity and organisation and the establishment of national governance arrangements. The expert's report was published on 14 December 2004. My Department is consulting the Irish College of General Practitioners, An Bord Altranais, the Academy of Medical Laboratory Science, the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the faculty of pathology of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Women's Health Council and the Irish Cancer Society. Consultation with these key stakeholders is well advanced and will be completed shortly.

Approximately 230,000 smear tests are carried out annually which represents an increase of almost 20% in recent years. To meet this increased demand, additional cumulative funding of approximately €14.5 million has been provided by my Department since 2002 to enhance the laboratory and colposcopy services.

The pilot cervical screening programme commenced in October 2000 and is available to eligible women resident in counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. Under the programme, cervical screening is offered free of charge at five-year intervals to approximately 74,000 women in the 25 to 60 age group. In addition, my Department allocated a further €1.1 million to the programme on an ongoing basis to complete the transition of the remaining laboratories to new and more effective testing and to support the development of quality assurance and training programmes. These are essential preparatory elements in a national roll-out.

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