Cancer Screening Programmes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 February 2019

Tuesday, 26 February 2019

Questions (434)

Alan Kelly

Question:

434. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the second report into the CervicalCheck scandal will be published which was dealing with full contractual and quality control issues in relation the laboratories used by CervicalCheck; the reason it has been delayed; if the terms of reference provided to a person (details supplied) for this work will be published; when these terms of reference were provided to the person; if the person expressed concerns regarding this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9685/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Following the publication of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme on 12 September, Dr Gabriel Scally committed to providing a supplementary report into certain further aspects of the laboratories, such as procurement, quality and accreditation arrangements, and governance structures.

I wrote to Dr Scally outlining the Terms of Reference for his supplementary report on 25 October and the Terms of Reference were published on my Department's website on 26 October. They can be found at the following link:

https://health.gov.ie/scoping-inquiry-into-the-cervicalcheck-screening-programme/.

Dr Scally has advised me that the breadth and complexity of the issues involved in the supplementary report require further time for analysis. Dr Scally has also advised that he has found no reason to revise the view taken in his earlier report, that as far as can be ascertained, all the current laboratories have performance which is acceptable in their country.