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

I acknowledge the difficulty and heartache Ruth Morrissey and her family have had to go through in the context of the CervicalCheck scandal. There are many other victims and families in this category also. The State's only objective is to try to support those affected as best it can, to try to keep people out of court and to ensure fair settlements for the women and families involved. That is why I announced yesterday during Leader's Questions the detail of the ex gratia scheme that is now being set up under the chairmanship of a retired High Court judge. The scheme is to ensure families and victims get the support the State wants to make available to them.

I do not have the exact details on the legal arguments associated with the case in question. I am slow to comment on a court case. I know, however, that the policy direction of the Government to the State Claims Agency is very clear: we want to try to keep these cases out of court so people do not have to go through an adversarial court system in regard to assessing the extent of claims and compensation.

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