Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to update the House on issues of concern that have arisen with regard to CervicalCheck, the population-based national cervical screening programme. I wish to share as much information as I can and that I have, and to set out the actions I have taken. I again recognise the contribution of Vicky Phelan in bringing this matter to our attention. I thank her and her family. I especially thank her for her support for screening programmes.

I recognise that across the House, while raising their legitimate concerns, colleagues have also endorsed that message about the importance of the screening programme. I thank everybody for that also. I hope we can try to work together collectively to identify any shortcomings in our screening programmes and learn from them to make sure that our screening services are improved. I look forward to hearing the contribution of Deputies across the House. I have to inform the House of some emerging information that I have received this evening from the serious incident management team, SIMT, that has been sent into CervicalCheck.

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