Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There were two separate delays. Women should have confidence. Screening saves lives. I have seen it at close quarters. I have great faith in this programme but all that has happened has knocked the confidence that women deserve to have in it.

I refer to a letter that was sent to the Minister by Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail in August 2018. It refers to the turnaround time for processing smears of up to 12 weeks being problematic. He also states that he would request that this delay in the processing of smear samples be addressed as a matter of urgency. He advises that his organisation's members will have to deal with women who have yet another repeat smear to face. That is where the confidence slips. It is where a woman keeps being told she must come back. Women deserve to have confidence in the programme. Could the Minister advise us exactly what was done on foot of receipt of that letter raising concerns because my understanding is no reply was received?

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