Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Reilly for giving me the opportunity to speak on this very important motion. I am again very disappointed to hear a Green Party Deputy speaking from a script clearly prepared by a civil servant and performing a U-turn on his party's position just over 12 months ago. We used to hear criticisms from the Green Party of the move toward promoting privatisation of the health service above patients, but the party now seems to have bought into this lock, stock and barrel. I do not know the price the party paid, but it is very disappointing to see that from its public representatives in the Dáil.

It is disappointing to think that we still do not have a national roll-out of cervical screening and the vaccine service. They are vital elements in the prevention of cancer in Ireland. There are more than 240 new cases of cervical cancer every year, with anywhere between 80 and 90 women dying from this illness annually. I am not sure that we have the right type of response from the Government benches. Evidence suggests that mortality rates can be cut by 80% with a national roll-out of proper screening. As a woman, I am very disappointed to see this has not happened yet.

The Fianna Fáil manifesto promised a national roll-out of cervical screening in 1997. Five years later, the two Government parties stated that they recognised the need to ensure that people in all parts of the country have reasonable access to cancer services, and that they would ensure this objective is achieved. That objective has clearly not been achieved. I sometimes feel sorry for the Minister, as I know that during the last general election, Fianna Fáil candidates in my own constituency blamed her for the problems in the health service. It is clearly an issue of collective responsibility, but Fianna Fáil always passes the buck and it is more than convenient to blame the Progressive Democrats Party for the problems in the health service, as opposed to taking collective Cabinet responsibility.

Significant concerns about Quest Diagnostics were clearly outlined by Deputies Reilly and Enright. The detection rate of pre-cancer cells is 30% lower than that of Irish laboratories, a statistic that has been supported by evidence and educated opinion in the Irish Medical Journal and elsewhere. That is a major concern and the Minister cannot afford to turn a blind eye to it. Of equal concern is the credibility and legitimacy of this private company. Serious question marks hang over the Government's decision to award the contract to Quest Diagnostics. An article in the Irish Independent on May 15 stated that Quest Diagnostics paid out $40 million in fraud cases in 1998, 2001 and 2004. Irish women can hardly have trust and confidence in such a company. It is quite alarming that the Government parties have awarded such a vital contract to a company of such a dubious background.

There are legal consequences to all this, to which Deputy Reilly alluded. Council Directive 2004/18 EC clearly states that any economic operator may be excluded from participation in a public service contract where that economic operator has been guilty of grave professional misconduct, proven by any means which the contracting authorities can demonstrate. This particular contractor has admitted that it has been obliged to pay out $40 million in compensation for fraud, yet the Government is satisfied to award a public contract of national importance to this company. I find that bizarre and I would like the Minister to give an explanation to the House for it.

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