Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is hardly a person in this State who has not at one stage or another witnessed politicians in this Chamber speak about ill-treatment, persecution and disregard for women in Ireland. Many like to think that the ill-treatment and disregard of women is a historic issue. However, unfortunately it is not. Nowhere are these injustices and this ill-treatment more acute than in the provision of health care services. Last night, RTÉ's "Prime Time" programme aired a feature on women suffering from the side effects of transvaginal mesh implants. I commend Janet Roche and Lesley-Anne Stephens who participated in the programme and bravely shared their stories.

I have been raising the issue with the Minister for Health since last October. I, along with mesh victims and their representatives, have spent months trying to get information on the issue. In particular, I wish to highlight the work of Margaret Byrne of Mesh Survivors Ireland, solicitor Melanie Power, who has been representing a number of these women, journalists such as Michelle Hennessy who have reported on this continuously, as well as my colleagues Órlaithí Flynn and Caoimhe Archibald, who have been to the forefront in this campaign in the North.

Transvaginal mesh implants have been widely used as a simple less invasive alternative to other more traditional surgical approaches to treat urinary incontinence and prolapse conditions that commonly occur after childbirth. However, many women have now come forward, and more come forward all the time, to report the side effects of the use of these implants. They have reported chronic and debilitating pain, with some being left unable to walk, drive or have any sort of a sex life. The use of transvaginal mesh devices and their long-term side effects for some women have recently come to prominence across many countries, not least England, Scotland, America, Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand and Australia have banned the use of the product, deeming it too risky for women. Closer to home, Britain's health watchdog has recommended restricting the use of vaginal mesh implants.

These women have marched on the Dáil today and are protesting outside as we speak. They will be in the AV room at 2 p.m. today if Deputies want to hear about this first-hand. I have four questions on behalf of these women. Will the Government ensure that there is recognition of the complications of mesh products and stop fighting these women on this issue and that there is a centralised report for treatment for these women by the HSE? Will it ensure that the HSE obtains a translabial scanner? This machine, which is used to detect mesh implants, is not currently available in the State. Will the Government commit to a retrospective audit of the number of women who have been implanted with a mesh device? Finally, given the available international evidence that the risks which accompany their use is too high, will the Government move to ban or limit the use of these mesh products in women? These four crucial measures are necessary to protect women's health. Will the Taoiseach grasp this opportunity and ensure that the suffering of these women is acknowledged and that women's health is protected?

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