Cancer Screening Programmes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 May 2018

Wednesday, 9 May 2018

Questions (167)

Joan Collins

Question:

167. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if contracts were renewed annually with a company (details supplied) from 2008; if he will provide the quality assurance certificate, that is, the screening process and laboratory performance expectation with each contract; and if he will provide the same information on the clinical pathology laboratory and other laboratories here or overseas for the years they had a contract to analyse Irish smear tests. [20258/18]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Since 2008, CervicalCheck has undertaken tendering processes to award contracts for cytology testing of cervical smear tests. Such tendering processes have been undertaken biannually.

Yesterday I established a Scoping Inquiry, led by Dr Gabriel Scally, in relation to issues that have arisen at CervicalCheck.  The broad Terms of Reference of the Scoping Inquiry include a range of issues pertaining to the cytology laboratory services contracted by CervicalCheck.