I raised some months ago with the Taoiseach the issue concerning CervicalCheck slides not being provided to women. He gave an assurance that he would go back and talk to his officials. I have pursued this matter with the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris. I indicated that it was going to end up in the courts. The case was heard in the High Court on 20 December. Commitments were made by the HSE in the court to provide the slides but they have not been provided. The women are back in the court this Friday. This is a disgrace. There is no reason to fail to provide the slides. An unnecessary frustration is being experienced by these women. Could the Taoiseach give an assurance that this nonsense will be stopped and the HSE will be instructed to do what it agreed to do in the court?

I recall that when the Deputy raised the issue previously, I made inquiries of the HSE and the Department of Health about it.

I put across our very strong instruction from Government that a slide should be provided without undue delay. I understand there can be delays at different points before a slide can be sent to a laboratory, and the solicitor has to indicate which laboratory they want to send it to. There is a protocol in place; I understand that the vast majority of solicitors have signed up to that protocol but not all. Delays can happen at different points. It is not always at the point of the HSE or the lab and it can happen at the level of the law firm as well.