Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy on the documentation and review findings required. I will follow up on the matter directly immediately after priority questions. For those who are watching and to have confidence in the screening programme and that information will be given, it is important to say two things. First, there has been a huge volume of calls in the last few week to the CervicalCheck helpline. I am pleased to note that the overwhelming majority of the callbacks were by women asking for a clinical consultation to talk to a nurse or a doctor about their situation. The overwhelming majority have been concluded, which is welcome. It was a big body of work, but it was important to get through it in the interests of answering the questions of many thousands of women. More than 11,000 required callbacks.

On the issue of supports and the practical measures we have put in place to try to help people, we have put public health nurses in place in each of the CHOs throughout the State to directly meet the women and their families from the group of 209 - if I may refer to it as such. I understand that work is ongoing.

My very clear understanding from the terms of reference is that Dr. Scally will provide a progress report in the first week of June. I look forward to hearing exactly what progress he has made. He will provide the full report by the end of June. I look forward to engaging with colleagues when we receive it.

See this speech in context