Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste and Government know that we will work with the Government and Minister to ensure that there is a full public inquiry into this scandal which is conducted without delay. We can only hope that this will bring some clarity to the women affected in this scandal. The Tánaiste knows that it was agreed that the women's voices need to be heard as part of that exercise. They also need to be heard with regard to accountability. Vicky Phelan made it clear this morning that Tony O'Brien should go. That does not preclude him from taking part in that investigation and giving all the information that he has about how this scandal unfolded. We do not need an inquiry to inform us that women with cervical cancer were denied critical information about their healthcare. We do not need an inquiry to know that 15 women went to their graves without that information. This is so serious. We do not need an inquiry to know that senior officials in the health service denied these women, and many others like them, this critical information. We do not need an inquiry to know that this happened on the watch of Tony O'Brien, director general of the HSE. We know all of that. We do not need an inquiry to know that the person who revealed this story, which none of us would be debating here today if it was not for her courage, is calling for Tony O'Brien to resign. The Tánaiste says that he wants to hear the women's voices. They are asking for accountability. There is a twin-track approach here. We need to make it clear that we cannot allow Tony O'Brien to walk off into the sunset in six weeks with his pension, going on to the board of his US company. There has to be accountability. This is so serious. People have died without the information they were entitled to. The person at the head of the organisation which denied them that information has to be held to account. Given that the Tánaiste is not willing to call for the resignation of Mr. O'Brien, does he express full confidence in Mr. O'Brien?

See this speech in context