Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government encourages questions on this issue. That is why the discussion and questioning at the Committee of Public Accounts this morning are, and will continue to be, appropriate. The Government is an open book on the issue.

The Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, the Taoiseach and many others have prioritised the support of the women and families involved in the scandal since it broke. Many Members of the House have worked with individuals linked to the scandal and will continue to so do. An hour ago, the Minister introduced the heads of new disclosure legislation, following through on the commitments he made in that regard. It is wrong to suggest that the Government has not been active on the issue, prioritised the support of women and families caught up in this tragedy or is not moving ahead with the commitments it made.

It is important to state that the Government has agreed to move ahead with the report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which is an organisation of international standing independent of the Government and has its own procedures that it needs to put in place. We have asked it to undertake a complex review which involves much accurate assessment and that is about to take place but the Government cannot impose the timetable for it. We must ensure the review is fully accurate and has the confidence of everyone caught up in the CervicalCheck scandal and, more important, the women of Ireland, who need to know that we have learned lessons and fully understand why mistakes were made. Of course, we will encourage a speedy review to ensure the information gathered by that independent body is accurate and allows us to learn lessons. In the meantime, we will continue to work with individuals who have been hugely courageous in exposing this scandal and continue to put support packages in place for them and their families.

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