Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach did not really answer the question so I will put it again. There is a huge difference between the known limitations of a screening test and cases where cancer should have been detected but were missed beyond normal error. An error that reflects known limitations is a normal error. The question I am asking relates to missed positives where the actual smear was misread. We are told the rate is 14%. For the women who are going to have smear tests today, tomorrow and next day before the scoping exercise is complete, I am asking the Taoiseach whether a 14% misreading is within international norms and, if not, can we do something now to improve it?

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