Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Let me be very clear to the Taoiseach. The women at the heart of this latest scandal are our wives, sisters and mothers in Sinn Féin. Therefore, the Taoiseach should not lecture me about my concern for people whom we love. What has occurred is a direct result of a political decision that was made without any analysis by the Minister for Health. The Minister for Health has said he had full support in regard to the decision he made. What we have is the director general telling us he advised walking back from this decision because there would be unintended consequences. Regardless of this, what is known as a fact is that there was no analysis carried out of capacity. What is known as a fact is that there was no consultation with the director general of the HSE. What is known as a fact is that the Minister did not consult the laboratories about capacity.

The Taoiseach says that he acted with his heart instead of his head. That is cold comfort to the women who are waiting 27 weeks to find out if there are abnormalities in their smear tests.

The Government talks about accountability and that is what we are looking for. This Minister is completely out of his depth. It is not just the cervical cancer scandal or the children's hospital scandal. Week after week, people we know and love who have cancer are having operations cancelled because of the dysfunctionality of the Department of Health and the HSE and the lack of oversight and hands-off approach of this Minister.

Is the Taoiseach aware of any consultation or capacity analysis carried out by the Minister for Health before he made the decision which has resulted today in 78,000 women waiting up to 27 weeks to find out whether they have cancerous abnormalities in their smear tests? That is the issue and the Taoiseach should stop trying to divert attention from it.

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