Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that. The basis on which the Deputy has called for the dismissal of Mr. Tony O'Brien is an assertion that the decision to outsource these tests to the US in 2008 somehow cost lives. I explained why that is not yet supported by the facts. Everyone, even Mr. Tony O'Brien, deserves a fair hearing before being condemned. We need to assess whether that decision was wrong. It may turn out not to be wrong. We need to be fair about it in that regard.

The Deputy asked about my state of knowledge on various occasions during my two years as Minister for Health. I was informed of major patient safety incidents and I was certainly informed of matters in Portlaoise, for example, as well as concerns with bowel screening in the south east. All those matters are in the public domain. I was never informed of any patient safety concern or potential scandal relating to CervicalCheck and certainly not the outcome of any audit such as this. I have asked officials in the Department to check that for me in case my recollection is incorrect.

With respect to open disclosure and the duty of candour, I point out once again that both open disclosure and duty of candour form part of the Medical Council's ethical guidelines for doctors.

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