More than 72,000 women are still waiting for their CervicalCheck smear-test results.
The figures were released yesterday after Fianna Fáil criticised the delay in providing them.
The HSE's new director-general, Paul Reid, is facing questions about the issue at an Oireachtas health committee meeting today.
Fianna Fáil's health spokesman, Stephen Donnelly, says only very modest improvements have been made recently.
"It reached over 80,000 women waiting up to 33 weeks...just to get smear test results," said Mr Donnelly.
"Obviously this is not an acceptable situation.
"It's good that the figure has now come down but it's only come down by a few thousand.
"We need to see that figure right back down to normal levels where women can expect to get their results within two to four weeks."
It is expected that Health Minister Simon Harris will say the HSE has raised concerns about the impact of the recent High Court ruling on the state of the CervicalCheck scheme today.
