One in five women surveyed by the Irish Cancer Society has never had a test for cervical cancer.
The society says that in the absence of a national screening programme, which has been promised by various governments over the past ten years, all women aged 25 years or more should have a cervical smear test.
The research conducted in June among 500 women found that just 10% of those surveyed were aware of the benefit of having a smear test in preventing the cancer.
For those who have never had a test, fear regarding what is involved and a diagnosis of an abnormality is the main barrier. A shortage of female doctors was also cited as a factor by one in five women.
Just 20% of women were aware that the main risk factor for the cancer is the human papilloma virus, a sexually transmitted infection.
John McCormack, chief executive of the society said the Health Service Executive should conduct educational campaigns advising women that this virus is the major cause of cervical cancer and how it is transmitted.
The society said it would be watching closely to see if the recent commitment by the Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to roll out a national screening programme by 2008 is met.
Each year, around 1,000 new cases of cervical pre-cancer and 200 cases of cancer are diagnosed in Ireland. There are around 70 deaths from cervical cancer, one of the highest rates in western Europe.
