Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At the request of many Deputies, the laboratories we use and their performance are specifically within Dr. Scally's terms of reference because I do not feel qualified nor, I respectfully suggest, is anyone in the House to make these adjudications.

All of the laboratories being used meet international standards and follow the quality guidelines set for the programme. The clinical advice is that there is no evidence that the clinical and technical aspects of the programme have performed outside or below international standards. That is what I am told now and what I believe based on what I am told. We need to allow Dr. Scally to make his adjudications. The laboratory at the centre of the Vicky Phelan case is not being used by CervicalCheck.

On the number of free follow-up smear tests, the HSE has advised that the information is currently not available, given that there is always a time delay between when the smear test sample is taken by the smear taker and the notification of the smear being received by CervicalCheck from the laboratories. I will ask the HSE to make that available to Deputy Broughan when it becomes available. Tests are examined in three laboratories, with approximately 50% of the testing done in Ireland and 50% done abroad. I assure women that all three laboratories meet quality assurance standards and are certified by the relevant national authorities.

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