The HSE is preparing to roll out DIY smear test kits in an effort to make cervical screening more accessible to those who feel embarrassed, face logistical barriers, or struggle to attend a GP appointment. The initiative is being positioned as a major step toward meeting Ireland’s target of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with David McCullagh, Dublin-based GP Dr Caoimhe Hartley welcomed the upcoming move, saying that “anything that will remove barriers to women accessing screening tests like cervical check or cervical smears is really welcome and should be really embraced.” She emphasised that self-sampling differs significantly from a traditional smear at a GP clinic, describing the at-home method as simple and minimally invasive. “It should be really simple, usually just involving a swab or a soft brush and you collect a sample from the vagina,” she said.
The home kits allow users to take their own sample in a private setting before sending it by post to an accredited laboratory for analysis. Dr Hartley said that if the approach leads to higher screening participation, “I think it’s really welcome.” However, she also noted that GP-led screening remains the gold standard, as face-to-face appointments allow women to raise concerns about symptoms such as breakthrough bleeding, bleeding after sex, or other potential red flags.
The introduction of home testing comes as OPW buildings across Ireland—from the Rock of Cashel to Dublin’s Custom House—light up in teal to mark World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day. The illumination coincides with the release of a new progress report marking one year since Ireland published its Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan, outlining achievements that move the country closer to meeting its 2040 target.
Professor Nóirín Russell, Clinical Director of Cervical Check, said research shows self-sampling is especially effective for women who are long overdue or have never been screened. “That’s where self-sampling has the most benefit because it encourages people who are overdue screening or have never got to the stage of having a screening… and gets them into the system,” she said. She stressed that HPV—the human papillomavirus—is responsible for more than 90% of cervical cancers. Offering a self-sample at home tests for the presence of HPV rather than detecting cancer itself.
Women who return a positive HPV result from the at-home test will still need to attend their GP or practice nurse for a follow-up cervical sample. According to Prof Russell, this step is essential and must remain “part of the pathway.” “We know from the literature a healthcare practitioner’s sample is likely to be more accurate,” she noted, underscoring the importance of ensuring that high-risk cases are identified promptly.
Prof Russell said the HSE recognises the additional barriers faced by women in certain communities. “We know that migrant women for instance are less likely to have had an opportunity for HPV vaccination and they’re also less likely to be screened,” she said. The HSE is working with affected communities to improve access and awareness.
A feasibility study planned for early 2026 will explore how DIY kits could be integrated into general practice settings. Participants will be asked for feedback on information materials, ease of use, and the design of two trialled swab types. Practice nurses and GPs will also evaluate their experience supporting the programme. The study will require participants to provide both a self-sample and a clinician-taken sample to ensure “zero risk” in comparing the accuracy of the two methods.
Prof Russell stressed the importance of reaching every community in Ireland, noting that “half of the cancers diagnosed in Ireland today are diagnosed in women who have never been screened.”
The long-term trend in cervical cancer incidence continues to decline, according to Dr Caroline Mason-Mohan, Director of Public Health with the HSE’s National Screening Service. “Ireland’s current cervical cancer incidence rate is 11 per 100,000 women… Despite temporary fluctuations during the Covid-19 pandemic years, the long-term trend… continues to decline,” she said. Dr Mason-Mohan added that Ireland is performing strongly against WHO targets and remains on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.
She affirmed the HSE’s overarching mission: to make cervical cancer rare in every community across Ireland.
