Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think Deputy Kelly asked each of us the same two questions, both of which are important. The first question is whether I would be concerned that there could be other issues or scandals of which I have not been made aware. I am not aware of any others. I have put everything I have learned relating to this into the public domain as quickly as I received it and that is the way I intend to continue to operate in respect of this matter. If I had absolute confidence that there were no other such issues, we would not need a scoping inquiry so after the two weeks we have seen, I think it would be foolish to sit here and say I do not have more concerns. I think Deputy Kelly will see in the terms of reference, which we have all discussed collectively, that I am trying to tease out a number of those issues as part of this. I know Dr. Scally's first report is due in approximately three weeks and that his final one is due in six or seven weeks. Until I see the initial report, I cannot go any further because, in the aftermath of what happened in the past two weeks, that is the prudent course for any Minister to take.

In respect of the second question, which concerned when I became aware of the issue regarding National Cancer Registry Ireland not sharing its data with CervicalCheck or the fact that CervicalCheck did not know of all the cases with National Cancer Registry Ireland, I was told by my chief medical officer in the company of the Secretary General and the assistant secretary just before I went into the Dáil on Tuesday last.