The Minister for Health Simon Harris has confirmed that the HPV test will not be rolled out by next month and it will now be some time in 2019.
Simon Harris was speaking in the Dáil this evening at the end of a debate on the recently published Scally Review of the CervicalCheck screening programme.
Fianna Fáil TD Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister if the HPV test was still on track to be rolled out in October or had he said 2019?
The minister replied: "No, you did not mishear me saying 2019. It will be 2019.
"And there is a lot of work that has been going on, including liaising with other countries that have introduced this and rolled it out. It is the major priority.
"That and the continuance of labs so we can keep our screening programme going in the interim."
BREAKING: Responding to a question from @AnneRabbitte the Health Minister @SimonHarrisTD has said the HPV test will not be rolled out by October and it will now be some time in 2019 pic.twitter.com/nSp5VqULgD
— RTÉ Politics (@rtepolitics) September 19, 2018
Speaking in July, following the cervical screening crisis, Mr Harris indicated that he was committed to having the HPV test introduced by the end of the year. However, it recently emerged that the move to the new testing method would not begin until next year.
The HPV test is a more accurate testing mechanism than the current liquid-based cytology, and would result in fewer false negatives.
Earlier, the minister said he intended to meet patients involved in the cervical cancer controversy next week.
"The first step I wish to take is to meet patients and their families, and I look forward to that happening next week," Mr Harris told the house.
He said he would then meet opposition parties to reach a consensus on how best to move forward.
Mr Harris said the Government accepts all 50 recommendations and he would return to Government in three months with a full implementation plan.
He also said the Chief Medical Officer met representatives of the medical profession today and he intended to met them himself very shortly, along with the Medical Council.
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Fianna Fáil's health spokesman Stephen Donnelly said patients should have been briefed on the contents of the report before anyone.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the report made difficult reading in that it reflected that the "gross disrespect shown to women".
"You make the point that no evidence of cover-up and conspiracy was unveiled, but to make a finding or a reflection of institutionalised misogyny is a fairly damning reflection on the system and perhaps begs for further investigation and a commission," she told Mr Harris.
She also said that everyone wanted to know who leaked the report and asked if the minister could shed any light on that.
Labour's health spokesman Alan Kelly said the Taoiseach was wrong to say on RTÉ News that the women would not have to go through the courts, and that the laboratories would be pursued to settle with the women.
He said he found it "almost impossible to see a scenario where women would not end up in the courts again and that is disgraceful".
PBP-Solidarity TD Bríd Smith said she stood over her criticisms of outsourcing arrangements with the laboratories, saying there were different standards between the US and Ireland.
She also criticised the fact the tender documents between the State and the laboratories had been destroyed.
Responding to Ms Smith, Minister Harris said that the report showed that the laboratories that were being used today were safe.
Independent TD Dr Michael Harty said the report's findings on the manner of disclosure did not reflect on the medical profession very well.
He also said the report also found an absence of governance at CervicalCheck and also oversight by the HSE.
Minister Harris also said that whoever leaked elements of the Scally report was "absolutely cruel ".
"It caused huge upset and it was absolutely cruel to do that," he said.
Social Democrat TD Roisin Shortall said there had been political mishandling of the issue and there was "competitive outrage".
"A lot of the comments and behaviours of members of this house, including members of Government, did little to help the situation," she said.
She also called on the minister to keep the focus on the issue until all the recommendations were implemented in full.
Green party leader Eamon Ryan said the report also showed a clear recognition that a mistake was made in abolishing the HSE board.
