Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The memo to the Minister stated, "The National Screening Service and Jerome Coffey, Head of the National Cancer Control Programme, have advised the Department in writing that they do not consider this to be a patient safety incident but rather a reflection of the known limitations of the current screening test." Will the Minister make that written information available to Members as it could be important to the debate?

Vicky Phelan's courage in the face of deception of the worst kind by the HSE is nothing short of amazing. All women who have been affected must receive the best care possible. Trust on any issue is hard won and in this case the HSE has lost the trust of the women in the State.

The concept of screening the population for potentially life threatening disease was forward thinking. Who, however, can trust a system when those responsible for running it have deceived patients and dragged them through the courts? Those within the HSE who are responsible should be ashamed of themselves. We must be very clear in this House tonight that no other women should have to enter into a legal battle with the HSE to get the truth about their medical records.

See this speech in context