Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The first relates to moving forward on the HPV test, which we all know is superior. We have seen the problems with screening. Why not just cut our losses with the smear tests and set up HPV testing publicly under the healthcare system? My understanding, and perhaps the Minister will clarify, is that it does not need the same level of cytology and is a much easier test to diagnose. Why not start this now rather than going back and trying to clear a huge backlog with laboratories over which we do not have same control?

The second issue is clarification because a contribution was made earlier by Deputy Clare Daly that basically implied some of us were scaremongering and there was not really a problem with outsourcing and the laboratories. I would like to clarify this point. It is not the case the Scally report stated everything was fine with the laboratories. It stated the laboratories, and the Minister may comment on this, had local proper accreditation for the countries they were in-----

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