Professor Risteárd Ó Laoide:

Senator Burke made a very good point. The issue is even broader than screening. We know we have predictable errors in radiology and we can provide figures on the large number of errors that will occur. Thankfully, most of them do not harm patients. However, some do and one cannot predict which one will cause harm. If we want a good and open disclosure process and an open environment, everything must be put on the table. We need to be open and decide what to do when litigation occurs. We must decide whether to put patients through the traumatic process of going through the courts and being brought to the footsteps of the courthouse. That seems to be an horrendously cruel process. We need to consider everything. We are intelligent people and I agree with Deputy Kelly that we do not need to copy what has been done in other countries if we can do it better here. We need to consider ways of doing it better here and I firmly believe that we can do so because at the moment it is poorly done.