Seventeen women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy have died, the HSE has confirmed.

The HSE Serious Incident Management Team held a special briefing on the controversy on Monday afternoon and according to its chairperson, Patrick Lynch, the cause of these women's deaths is not known at this time.

Mr Lynch also noted that the number of women affected by this controversy is 208, not 206. He said that among these, 162 were not told that a review involving their case had been carried out by CervicalCheck, or of the outcome.

He said all are expected to have been informed by Tuesday.

Mr Lynch said that a different clinical treatment should have been provided to 175 of the 208 women when their original smear tests were re-read by the review team.

Also speaking at the briefing, HSE director general Tony O'Brien, said that he first learned ‘of the entirety' of the Vicky Phelan cases when he read about it on the RTE website last week.

Ms Phelan (43), a mother of two from Limerick, settled her High Court action against a US laboratory for €2.5 million last week. The settlement was made without an admission of liability.

She underwent a smear test in 2011 and was told that no abnormalities were found. However this was incorrect and by the time she had another smear test in 2014, she had cervical cancer.

In January of this year, she was told her cancer was terminal and was given six to 12 months to live.

The Minister for Health, Simon Harris, and the Tanaiste, Simon Coveney, have apologised to Ms Phelan and her family.

On Saturday evening, the clinical director of CervicalCheck, Dr Grainne Flannelly, stepped down from her post ‘to allow the programme to continue its important work'. She also apologised to women who have been distressed by recent events.

It has also been revealed that a helpline for women concerned about this matter has now received 6,000 calls. The number is 1800 45 45 55.

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has said there will be an inquiry into the controversy. While insisting that cancer screening ‘does work', he acknowledged that there had been ‘appalling communication failures'.

Anyone who has had a smear test and wants to undergo a recheck for reassurance can have it arranged by their GP. This will be paid for by CervicalCheck.