Harris backs Irish labs ‘if they can meet demand’

HEALTH Minister Simon Harris has said he would like to use Irish labs to screen smear tests – but needs to make sure they have the capacity.

He explained he did not think the facility at the centre of the Vicky Phelan case was being used for cervical health checks anymore.

She was awarded a €2.5million settlement, made without admission of liability, against Clinical Pathology Laboratories, Texas, in April.

The three labs used are the Coombe Women and Infants Hospital and Medlab Pathology in Dublin and Quest Diagnostics in New Jersey.

Mr Harris said: “I would like to use laboratories in our own country but have to make sure we have the capacity.

“We don’t want a situation where we have very long waiting times.”