The scandal surrounding the CervicalCheck programme and the withholding of information from women in relation to their false-negative test results last year has caused much trauma, anxiety and hurt. Unfortunately, women have died of cervical cancer. Over the weekend, I was sad to hear of the passing of Orla Church, a campaigner and cervical cancer victim.

The CervicalCheck programme has been in place for a long time and has saved many lives, however I understand that it is now in crisis mode. To work effectively it must work within certain parameters and timelines. The capacity must match the volume of tests per annum. When the scandal was exposed last year by Vicky Phelan, Emma Mhic Mhathúna and others, the Minister immediately announced that he had decided to provide free smears to every woman in the country who had concerns. On 9 January we learned from TheJournal.ie, through freedom of information, that the Minister took this decision against official and expert advice, that the decision would damage the efficacy of the programme, would delay and cause backlogs and was not clinically warranted. On average, CervicalCheck tests about 230,000 smears annually. The Minister's decision last April added an extra 90,000 to 100,000 to that volume. The Minister was warned repeatedly over a long period that this was wrong yet he proceeded without any additional resources being provided. The additional volume of tests as a result of the decision has created an unacceptable and enormous backlogs and women have been waiting for up to six months for the results of their tests.

There is a further problem. I understand that the delay has impacted on the quality and efficacy of the tests and has rendered a significant number invalid. There are two elements to the test. Cells are put on the slide and there is also viral loading which, in the detection of low-grade cell abnormalities, indicate whether colposcopy or further referral is required. Because of the backlog and time delays this part of the test in many cases, I understand, has been rendered invalid, null and void. Normally they would be done within ten days but because of the Minister's decision the resulting backlog has compromised the quality and efficacy of the tests.

This has serious and obvious consequences. I asked the Minister, Deputy Harris, a specific question on this issue on 15 January. I asked for the rationale of announcing the repeat cervical smears against expert advice and why he did not make that public at the time. He avoided answering that part of the question and I have officially complained about this under Standing Orders. The Minister has withheld information from the Dáil and the public on developments in the CervicalCheck programme that are clearly in the public interest. Is the Taoiseach aware of this development and the serious implications that arise from it? Was he informed by the Minister? Why did the Minister ignore expert advice and why did it take until December to discontinue the free smear tests? Why again the secrecy and the withholding of information?

Before I reply, I want to recognise, on my behalf and on behalf of the Government and my party, the Ceann Comhairle and his staff for organising what was a really appropriate and successful commemoration on Monday.

Hear, hear.

I also join Deputy Micheál Martin in expressing my condolences to the family and friends of Orla Church. I was filled with sorrow over the weekend when I heard of her untimely passing. I also pay tribute to her and thank her for her contribution to helping the health service to update its guidelines for GPs and others in relation to cervical screening. I recognise that it was a very important contribution which will help women in future.

I have always said, as have others, that we want some good to come from this terrible tragedy and the controversy around CervicalCheck. Some good has come from it. The Scally report was undertaken and is being implemented. We put in place a package of supports for the women affected by the audit including medical cards, experimental medicines and other supports. We have taken the decision to extend the HPV vaccine to boys this year and to introduce a new, more modern smear test - one of the first countries to do so - which is more accurate. That will be done this year. Important progress is being made.

We all know that cervical screening works. It has helped reduce the instance of cervical cancer in Ireland in recent years and has reduced the number of deaths. I am pleased that, notwithstanding the controversy around CervicalCheck, that women are still attending for smears and the programme is still working well.

As Deputy Martin said, in May the Minister for Health decided to offer free out-of-cycle smear tests to any woman who was concerned about her health and about the accuracy of previous smear tests in relation to the CervicalCheck screening programme. The Minister made the decision in good faith to answer the considerable fears and anxieties of many women in Ireland who were worried that their recent smear tests may have been misread or inaccurate. In the months after that, there was a significant increase in the volume of women presenting for smear tests. This not only included the women attending for the out-of-cycle tests but an increased uptake in testing in general by women. That increased demand put immense pressure on laboratory capacity. The HSE has worked actively with the laboratories to manage this and to improve turnaround times for smear tests. The HSE tells us that the laboratories have agreed to undertake additional recruitment, to provide overtime and to manage annual leave in an effort to minimise and reduce the backlog. In addition, the HSE is trying to source additional screening and laboratory capacity which would improve turnaround times for results. The HSE advises us that sourcing capacity and resources is a serious challenge as countries start to move to primary HPV screening to the new test, there is a shortage of capacity, not only in Ireland but also internationally. However, they are undertaking to provide that additional capacity and get on top of the backlog. Now that the out-of-cycle free smear tests have stopped, we expect that it will be possible to reduce the backlog over the next couple of weeks.

That is not true and the Taoiseach did not answer my question.

Was the Taoiseach made aware of the serious developments by the Minister, particularly regarding the validity of a significant number of tests that had been rendered null and void because of the delay? Normally, the virus would be tested for within ten days, yet people are facing six-month delays. This was discovered last year but not revealed by the Minister or anyone. In essence, that information has been withheld. That is why the service was discontinued. The Minister's decision went against expert advice that warned him repeatedly that this would damage the entire programme. It is my understanding and information that the programme is in jeopardy because of this and that further significant decisions and communications will have to occur.

I asked the Taoiseach whether he had been made aware of this by the Minister. Will he please answer that question? I asked him about the rationale behind the Minister's decision, which went against repeated expert advice that this was not clinically warranted and would damage the efficacy of the entire programme.

Have we learned any lesson? The withholding of information and the secrecy and denial that were part of the first phase of this scandal are being repeated yet again in the lack of upfront honest responses to parliamentary questions, the ducking and diving, the papering over of cracks and the subsequent covering up. We are now being led to believe that the decision to close down just evolved in December.

Time is up, Deputy, please.

It did not just evolve. A discovery was made that tests were invalid because the expiry date was passed due to the backlog and delay. That has consequences for the many women involved. Will the Taoiseach ensure that the Minister appears before the House and makes a comprehensive and transparent statement on what I have asked about today?

I thank the Deputy. The rationale behind the decision by the Minister, Deputy Harris, to offer a free out-of-cycle smear test back in May or June was to respond to the anxiety of many women that their smear tests may have been misread. It was done in good faith and for good reasons. It was never intended to be a permanent offering - it was only ever intended to last for a few months. Those free tests ceased to be available at the end of December last year.

I was made aware of a backlog a few weeks ago. The Minister informed me a few weeks ago-----

I do not mean the backlog. I mean the invalid tests.

I will answer the Deputy's question if he allows me to. I was made aware by the Minister, Deputy Harris, a few weeks ago that there was a backlog, that this was creating problems and, as a result of that, some tests had expired and would have to be repeated.

When?

The Minister, for that reason, is working with the HSE to deal with that and to make sure that additional capacity is found in order to catch up on the backlog.

Why was this not made public? Why did the Government not reveal this to anyone so that-----

No. Please, Deputy.

I am sure the Minister will be happy to come before the House-----

When did the Taoiseach find out?

-----and make a statement on it.

When did the Taoiseach find out?

I would have to check my diary. A couple of weeks ago. I do not remember the exact date.

He said it.

This is a very serious issue, Taoiseach.

Deputies, please.

I do not want to mislead the Dáil. I cannot remember the exact date.

Why did the Minister, given all that has happened, not comprehensively present this to the House? This is very serious. It is unbelievable that-----

The matter is inordinately serious, Deputy, but your time has elapsed.

Hear, hear.

We will get to it again.