Anxiety and anger were the principal emotions displayed by women in Portlaoise yesterday when talking about the recall of patients at the Midland General Hospital in the town.
Local Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan said he had met one of eight women earlier identified as requiring further screening. "She came to my clinic this morning and she was very worried and in a depressed state," he said.
Most women who had been screened in the hospital would spend an anxious time this weekend and over the following days "after hearing on the radio that there is some difficulty and that the hospital will be phoning some patients to ask them to return.
"I would say there is confusion and concern throughout the county and beyond this evening. This review has been badly commissioned, badly planned and badly executed."
Mr Flanagan said lunchtime news reports that the Health Service Executive would be phoning those who had been judged to be clear of cancer first, and leaving those with doubtful results until later, "is just bizarre".
Margaret Ryan of Portlaoise Chamber of Commerce said concern about the cancer testing was "the number one topic on everyone's lips", including chamber members. "A lot of the chamber members are women - why should the chamber not be worried," she said, adding that she knew that other groups such as Network - a women's business networking group - and the Irish Countrywomen's Association were also deeply concerned.
But she said she did not believe that cancer screening was a women-only issue. "If the tests for women can be in doubt, there is every likelihood that the tests results for men's cancers could be questioned too," she remarked.
Ms Ryan, who has herself undergone precautionary breast screening, said she believed women in Portlaoise would be worried about the service in the future. "You get a little spring in your step when you get the all-clear. But now when you look into the eyes of the medic and they tell you it is okay, you will still have a small doubt."
She said she did not know any of the 97 women, and added that "they are entitled to their privacy at this terrible time".
In Lyster Square, news that 97 women had so far been identified for callback after doubts emerged about the results of cancer screening was the dominant topic of conversation among women out shopping in the winter sunshine.
Michelle Gavigan, who lives in town, said concern about cancer testing was the main concern among local women. The responsibility for the crisis lay with Minister for Health Mary Harney who, she said, should resign. "I should be concerned, I am a woman - we have to get rid of Mary Harney," she insisted.
Jude Mulloy of Mountmellick said she and her friends were concerned about the news since "we heard about it last night. Everyone is worried, although we don't know anyone who has been called," she said.