Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I asked the Taoiseach whether the CervicalCheck team communicated its opposition to someone at a senior level in the Department of Health in advance of the decision. Will he answer that question?

The reason the new HPV test is not deliverable is the backlog created by the Minister's decision. Is the Taoiseach comfortable with the Minister's comments in that radio interview? The Taoiseach has stated he understands that the Minister was supported by the chief medical officer. We can find no written advice from the chief medical officer, however, and none has been offered. I tabled a parliamentary question and consulted the Office of the Ceann Comhairle. There was a consultation with the Department of Health, which replied to me. Yesterday, I was told that the chief medical officer's advice was reflected in the press release issued by the Minister. What kind of gobbledegook is that? Did the chief medical officer recommend the decision or not? I do not believe that he did; I believe that tracks are being covered.

We need to learn from the issue. The spending of €10 million of taxpayers' money, which could be used elsewhere in the health service, on a decision that has damaged the CervicalCheck programme and delayed the introduction of a much-valued, new and better test is something from which we need to learn lessons and which needs to be revealed in its full truth. There should not be this studied obfuscation. Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister to retract the commentary he made last Saturday in which he attacked an entire team of people who did much good work for the country in saving the lives of many women?

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