Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I asked the Minister when she expects the national cervical cancer screening programme to be fully rolled out. The reason I am sceptical and asked that question is that the breast screening programme was to have been fully rolled out approximately two years ago and that has not yet happened. Will the breast screening programme be fully rolled out by the end of this year as promised and is that timeframe in place? Will the Minister give a full timescale in regard to the cervical cancer screening programme? Could she also answer the question regarding laboratory facilities? Already waiting times for the results of cervical screening are approximately six months in some areas. Are there resources in the system to roll this out and to roll out quality control in terms of having the laboratories that are doing the tests accredited? Perhaps the Minister will expand on these aspects and tell the House whether BreastCheck will be fully rolled out this year.

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