Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has suggested that I tweeted and created all this demand on capacity. Women were already going to their GPs. Women were turning up at their GP looking for reassurance, 110,000 of them. I made the decision not just about the repeat smear but also a free GP visit, which is different from the normal screening service protocol. I decided to offer a free consultation with the GP and, if the GP believed it to be necessary, a repeat smear. Some 110,000 women took that up. They did not do so because they listen to every word I say. They did so because they wanted to talk to their GP. I genuinely believe that was the right thing to do. I believe women would have gone otherwise and that women who could afford to go were going anyway. I have heard from many women who went private anyway. This was a case of who was going to pay and whether we were going to allow women who could afford to pay to have it and deny others who could not. Many in opposition and in the Deputy's own party called on me to do just this. Many Opposition spokespeople on health called on me to do so and they maintain the position that, while they criticise me for many things, this was still the right decision. Others take a different view.

I do not hide behind the Scally report, to be clear.

We arrived at a point where we could provide the much-needed reassurance in our screening service when Dr. Scally's report came out. That is why, following consultation with my officials, I suggested that we would then stop the thing. I will take the criticism from Deputy Chambers on the period from October to December because I think there could be some validity in that. I would need to reflect further on why the HSE decided to go to December. Could it have been handled better? I have an open mind on that and the Deputy may have a degree of legitimate criticism of me on that issue. However, I will genuinely never believe that this was the wrong decision. I reckon we will never agree on this. I believe it was the right decision taken at a difficult time for good reasons and was based on listening to women and general practitioners. It has absolutely caused a capacity problem. There is no doubt about that, and I have discussed it with the Deputy's party colleague. Our priority has to be finding the capacity. The HSE officials signalled good progress on this last week when they were before the joint committee. They have identified potential extra capacity. I use the word "potential" because until it is over the line, that is what it is. Deputy Chambers and women will want to know about more than potential. I take that point too. I expect the HSE officials to be back shortly, certainly by the end of the month, with an update on where we are in that regard. If we can bring that on board, and I am hopeful that we can, then we will clear the backlog quickly.