Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are 113,790 women in my county, Kildare, and I know that every one of them stands with me as I speak here in solidarity with the brave, tenacious and courageous Vicky Phelan, who has done the State and the women of the State some service in uncovering this horrific scandal. We cannot begin to imagine how Vicky and her family feel, with the fact that her lifetime is potentially being cut in half. It is completely unacceptable that she and her family have had to go to the courts to uncover information which should have been provided to them as soon as it came to light. Their treatment by the State has been shameful and deplorable. We all need to know why Vicky's doctor was not told of the mistake in her case until 2016, even though that mistake was uncovered in 2014. We need to know who took that decision to withhold this vital information for two years. We need to know why information was withheld from families of patients who passed away from cancer. The CEO of the HSE said yesterday that he knew nothing about this case until he read details relating to it on the RTÉ News website. We need to know who in the HSE knew about this matter.

I understand that the HSE has received 6,000 calls in the past two days. Many women are very concerned. Many women who cannot get through to the helpline have contacted me. The helpline is ringing out. There is much concern. We need to help, support and reassure women with their concerns. I welcome the move to set up an independent investigation into the CervicalCheck scandal. We need full disclosure. The news that, following an audit of 208 cases, more than 17 women have died is truly shocking. That over three quarters of the 208 women whose cases have been examined by this audit were not told they had delayed diagnosis is scandalous. The issue that the Minister raised tonight, that an audit was not carried out in 1,518 cases, is appalling. There can be no more secrecy. We need full disclosure.

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