asked the Minister for Health the current waiting period to have cervical smear tests analysed under the public system.

The waiting time for results of cervical smear tests in public hospitals varies from hospital to hospital. The largest cytology laboratories are at St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin and at Galway Regional Hospital. St. Luke's Hospital issue the results of smear tests within one week and the average waiting time for results of smear tests at Galway Regional Hospital is four weeks. Priority in public laboratories is always given to urgent cases and results are issued without delay.