Doctors learned via radio reports that 6,000 women will need repeat cervical checks – Dáil

Tánaiste Simon Coveney today rejected allegations that the Government was trying to hide ongoing problems with the cervical check service for women.

The Government has come under renewed pressure after revelations that 6,000 women were now awaiting repeat smear tests after huge problems with the system emerged last spring.

Fianna Fáil deputy leader Dara Calleary said the Government had failed to deal with the problems and failed to put in the necessary resources to deliver on a promise of free smear tests for women who were worried about their health in the wake of controversy. He said the “system was undermined.”

“They have made huge promises – but did not provide the resources to deliver on these promises,” Mr Calleary said.

He added that doctors, who are the first point of contact in this system, had to learn of the latest complications in RTÉ radio reports.

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Rejecting the charges, the Tánaiste also said Health Minister, Simon Harris, was currently on paternity leave and will not be available to answer Dáil questions on the issue for 10 days.

The Mayo Fianna Fáil TD said the Government was trying to hide important information and the latest figures would not have come to light without pressure from his party leader, Micheál Martin.

Replying for the Government, the Tánaiste Simon Coveney said politicians should avoid “political charges” and make women’s welfare and confidence their priority. He said the Government decided in good faith last May to offer free cervical tests to women concerned by the ongoing controversy.

Mr Coveney insisted that the issue of up to 6,000 re-checks needing to be repeated was separate to claims that free promised re-tests led to a backlog.

He said the 6,000 repeat checks arose from a problem at one of the three laboratories engaged in the checking process.

Earlier today the HSE said in that last November Quest Laboratories had told CervicalCheck about this issue.

The laboratory said there was “a specific problem in relation to standard HPV tests that have been carried out” because these tests happened outside of the manufacturer’s recommended timeframe.

“The impression you are giving that the Government is trying to hide something here, that isn’t true,” the Tánaiste said.

Damien McCallion, Interim National Director of the National Screening Service, said that they hope to begin contacting the women affected by the end of next week.

He said: “We sincerely apologise for any concern that that may arise as a result of this.

“CervicalCheck is committed to communicating openly with women in the first instance, we expect to be able to do that by the end of next week and will be able to provide more detail as soon as women have been informed. That is our priority.”

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