Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The scandal surrounding the CervicalCheck programme and the withholding of information from women in relation to their false-negative test results last year has caused much trauma, anxiety and hurt. Unfortunately, women have died of cervical cancer. Over the weekend, I was sad to hear of the passing of Orla Church, a campaigner and cervical cancer victim.

The CervicalCheck programme has been in place for a long time and has saved many lives, however I understand that it is now in crisis mode. To work effectively it must work within certain parameters and timelines. The capacity must match the volume of tests per annum. When the scandal was exposed last year by Vickie Phelan, Emma Mhic Mhathúna and others, the Minister immediately announced that he had decided to provide free smears to every woman in the country who had concerns. On 9 January we learned from TheJournal.ie, through freedom of information, that the Minister took this decision against official and expert advice, that the decision would damage the efficacy of the programme, would delay and cause backlogs and was not clinically warranted. On average, CervicalCheck tests about 230,000 smears annually. The Minister's decision last April added an extra 90,000 to 100,000 to that volume. The Minister was warned repeatedly over a long period that this was wrong yet he proceeded without any additional resources being provided. The additional volume of tests as a result of the decision has created an unacceptable and enormous backlogs and women have been waiting for up to six months for the results of their tests.

There is a further problem. I understand that the delay has impacted on the quality and efficacy of the tests and has rendered a significant number invalid. There are two elements to the test. Cells are put on the slide and there is also viral loading which, in the detection of low-grade cell abnormalities, indicate whether colposcopy or further referral is required. Because of the backlog and time delays this part of the test in many cases, I understand, has been rendered invalid, null and void. Normally they would be done within ten days but because of the Minister's decision the resulting backlog has compromised the quality and efficacy of the tests.

This has serious and obvious consequences. I asked the Minister, Deputy Harris, a specific question on this issue on 15 January. I asked for the rationale of announcing the repeat cervical smears against expert advice and why he did not make that public at the time. He avoided answering that part of the question and I have officially complained about this under Standing Orders. The Minister has withheld information from the Dáil and the public on developments in the CervicalCheck programme that are clearly in the public interest. Is the Taoiseach aware of this development and the serious implications that arise from it? Was he informed by the Minister? Why did the Minister ignore expert advice and why did it take until December to discontinue the free smear tests? Why again the secrecy and the withholding of information?

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