Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason patients who have a medical card have to pay their general practitioners to have a cervical smear taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22825/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Cervical smear testing is not currently provided by GPs or family planning clinics under the scheme for medical card holders. However, where cervical smears form part of recognised protocols for the ongoing treatment of individual patient illnesses, they should be provided free of charge to eligible women under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. Any necessary follow-up treatment is available to all women, including medical card holders, within the public hospital system. The roll-out of a national cervical screening programme is the most efficient population approach to preventing and controlling cervical cancer. The National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) is planning to roll out such a programme on a national basis towards the end of the summer. Women aged 25 to 44 years old will be screened every 3 years; women aged 45 to 60 will be screened every 5 years. The service will be available free of charge to eligible women everywhere in the country. Approximately 230,000 women will be screened annually, assuming an 80% take up by eligible women. All elements of the programme — call/recall, smear taking, laboratories, colposcopy and treatment services will be quality assured, organised and managed to deliver a single integrated national service. Additional revenue funding of €5.0m was allocated to the NCSS in 2007 for the roll-out of the programme and an additional €15.0m has been allocated in 2008. An additional 30 posts have been approved to facilitate integration and roll-out of the programme.