David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Exactly. Therefore, it has to be systemic. Like the director general, I am really frustrated with the public service because all of us here are dealing with and watching women in a very distressed state. Reference was made earlier to the poor woman on "Morning Ireland" this morning and to how harrowing her story was. We are here to ask questions on the women's behalf. These women were not given information that they should have been given.

I discussed earlier with Dr. Holohan the difference between a false negative and a misreading of the smear test. He said they are one and the same. I do not accept that. For many of the women, it was a misreading of their smear tests. They were not given the information. There was a strategy put in place not to give it to them. That is what was in the instruction given to consultants. Mr. Breslin was not made aware of it. The Minister was not made aware of it. The director general says he was not made aware of it.