Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I recall that when the Deputy raised the issue previously, I made inquiries of the HSE and the Department of Health about it.

I put across our very strong instruction from Government that a slide should be provided without undue delay. I understand there can be delays at different points before a slide can be sent to a laboratory, and the solicitor has to indicate which laboratory they want to send it to. There is a protocol in place; I understand that the vast majority of solicitors have signed up to that protocol but not all. Delays can happen at different points. It is not always at the point of the HSE or the lab and it can happen at the level of the law firm as well.

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