Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have a couple of comments. I find it unbelievable that the witnesses cannot provide the information relating to this protocol today.

Why is the protocol being pushed legally, particularly when it is preventing women from getting their slides? Why can some solicitors representing women go into court and get the slides, thereby bypassing this protocol? I do not understand how Mr. Connaghan cannot provide that information.

I understand what Ms Conroy is saying regarding the review of the 3,000 cases. That is fine. These are the words of Vicky Phelan and Stephen Teap this morning. They are surprised and disappointed and they were not aware of this. It is not me or any other member of the committee saying this. Whatever is going on, it had been expected that this would be completed by the end of May and would form part of the Scally inquiry. It was not completed by the end of May. When will it commence? We now know that it is not part of the Scally inquiry. Scally is already incomplete and a large chunk of the inquiry will be irrelevant.

On the previous occasion he was here, Mr. Connaghan said that he had to catch up with and meet Dr. Scally. I presume he has done so on numerous occasions. Has he visited Limerick? Will Mr. Connaghan confirm that when Dr. Scally reports, he will not say that one reason he could not complete his report - which he will not be able to do - is because he was not provided some information by the HSE? I want Mr. Connaghan to guarantee that Dr. Scally's review will not be able to say that at the end of August and that the HSE will have provided everything.

On the admission of liability in respect of non-disclosure of information, we know from Emma Nic Mhathúna's case that this has been admitted. Will that be the standard for all other cases?

Given what was said by a previous speaker, my next question is very important. The State Claims Agency's clinical risk advisers met CervicalCheck in March 2017. Why did the HSE not reveal the risk of this audit at that point?