Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the reassurance offered to women in presenting for cervical smear tests, are we satisfied adequate provision has been made to enable us to say, hand on heart, that they will not find themselves stressed out? I know that we have the best intentions, but that is not way things happen. Within reason, can we reassure women that everything has been put in place, that everything that can humanely be done has been done to address the issues that have caused serious concern, including death, as a result of a failure to identify a condition on time? We know that cases have ended up in court which have made decisions. This should not be happening. I have come to the conclusion that a great deal of time and energy and, more particularly, expenditure, will now be put into addressing the legal issues involved, but that does not address the health issues involved. In actual fact, addressing the health issues involved does not require litigation. The question is what will be the level of expenditure in defending cases. I know that there will always be a certain amount spent on legal fees, but if we reach a situation where an inordinate is being spent on legal fees, we will have to question the service we are providing. We are in the business of providing a health service, not legal services.