More than three quarters of cervical check samples taken here, are processed outside of the country, according to new HSE figures.
It comes three years after the opening of a dedicated lab in Dublin, after the 2018 Scally report raised concerns about the state’s reliance on labs in other jurisdictions.
The new HSE figures were released to TD Jen Cummins following a parliamentary question.
It shows a slight decrease in the number of cervical check samples being processed abroad over the last five years, however less than 23 percent are still examined in Ireland.
In 2021 89 percent of samples were processed outside of Ireland, in 2022 this rose to just under 100 percent, before dropping again in 2023 to 96 percent, 84 percent in 2024 and 77 percent last year.
