David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is not the women's experience. We will have to come back to this issue because it is not what we have been told by two different sets of groups who represent hundreds of women. Clearly, the scheme has not worked for many women. It seems that if a consultant does not sign off then the person cannot avail of the scheme. While the HSE says the scheme is available what women have told us is that in reality it is not and is an illusion because there are problems with sign-offs.