Ivor Callely (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise a matter that the Leader might refer to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Since my appointment to the Seanad, I have noticed that the Leader is inundated with a large number of requests daily. Indeed, I have also tabled numerous issues for him. I wonder what level of support and structures are in place to come back to the Members of the House with regard to their requests.

This issue was brought to my attention recently. I asked the Leader on 24 April about the suggestion that smear testing in our public laboratories was to be outsourced and that the public hospital laboratories had been turned down for reporting on smear tests under the national cancer screening programme. I indicated that this information should set alarm bells ringing and that the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland had serious reservations about the outsourcing of smear tests, which would have many negative consequences for patients and future pathology training. I asked whether the Leader would clarify the position and, while I have no doubt he has endeavoured to do so, I have not received any clarity since 24 April.

I understand from today's newspaper that a US company, Quest, has been awarded the contract for testing cervical smears, although the same company is alleged to be at the centre of a fraud probe in the US in connection with billing of unnecessary tests——