Jade Goody's publicist Max Clifford has criticised Irish clinics that refuse to provide smear testing to women under the age of 25.

Under the national screening programme, all women over the age of 25 are currently entitled to a free cervical cancer check. The programme was launched in 2008 and provides screening every three years.

However, women under the age of 25 are still required to pay the full cost of a smear test – and it is now emerging that in such cases clinics are refusing to carry out the cancer check procedure on the grounds that women under 25 are too young.

Reality TV star Goody died in March. The 27-year-old, who shot to fame as a Big Brother contestant, had been diagnosed with cancer last summer after undergoing a smear test in England.

Clifford, her publicist and friend, last week said the national age for screening in Ireland should be lowered to 20.

"This is totally wrong," he told the Sunday Tribune. "In America, where I have dealt with professionals who are the most advanced in this field, the age for testing is 20."

Clifford says he has received hundreds of letters from women with concerns about cervical cancer checks Goody's death .

"Some of the letters are from women who are under 25 and have been diagnosed with cervical cancer. I was very close to Jade and her situation, and I know from dealing with her that this current state of affairs is not acceptable."

The Well Woman clinic has confirmed that it no longer provide under-25s with the screening. Chief executive of the clinic, Alison Begas, has said there is "no need for regular testing" at this age and points towards medical studies which show that tests in this age bracket can be inaccurate.

"I can appreciate there is some concern on the issue from young women given the sad death of Jade Goody and indeed requests for screening have gone up by 50% here in the clinic, but medical research clearly shows it is not necessary," confirmed Begas.

Lillian McGovern, CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation, said that although there is no substantial medical evidence to back up lowering the age limit, the government should put the pulled cervical cancer vaccine back on the priority list.

"These vaccinations are the bigger issue. It has been proven that they can eliminate all chances of the cancer from a very young age and we have been consistently working to push the issue with the government."