In Ireland we do not have a national cervical screening programme. It is hoped that such a service will soon be implemented and a pilot programme is currently underway. In our department there was a perception that many women working in the area of women's health had a "laissez-faire" attitude towards their own cervical cytology. This prompted us to perform an anonymous survey of a sample of Irish gynaecologists, general practitioners and midwives in advance of a national cervical screening programme. Overall, 80% of the questionnaires were returned completed--72% from gynaecologists, 68% from GPs and 100% from midwives. 60% of those who returned completed questionnaires were "up-to-date", 21% were "late" and 19% had never had a cervical smear.