A chara, - The CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, John McCormack, is absolutely right to be disappointed at the Minister for Health's failure to move on a national cervical screening programme (Health Supplement, Dec 27th).
I have raised this issue in the Seanad and at meetings of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on a number of occasions, and I am keenly aware that such a programme would save many women's lives with a very modest expenditure - in the UK, the scheme costs less than €55 per woman screened.
Your editorial of December 28th points out that the Government must learn from its mistakes in order to win the next election.
Tragic mistakes have been made in the area of cancer screening, and it is clearly Mary Harney's duty to ensure that they are not repeated.
Cervical cancer must be identified accurately and early, and treated quickly and effectively nationwide.
Anything less is quite simply unacceptable to the women of this State, and this will surely be reflected in their votes at the next general election. - Is mise,
Senator MARY WHITE, Seanad Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.