Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Labour Party, I want to express my deepest sympathies to Vicky’s family, in particular to her husband, Jim, her children, Amelia and Darragh, her parents and the extended Phelan and Kelly families. Our condolences also go to all of the 221+ group, Lorraine Walsh, Stephen Teap and to many others, to Vicky's friends and to our own colleague, Deputy Kelly, who was very close friend of Vicky's. Vicky bravely raised her voice. She decided to fight a system that had failed her. As we all know and as is acknowledged today, her activism prompted such a chain reaction that changed Irish society and that changed things for the better for so many women particularly in our health system.

Today I am remembering, as we all are, many of those other activists who also fought for women's health alongside Vicky and who have sadly died, namely, Ruth Morrissey, Emma Mhic Mhathúna, Lynsey Bennett and Laura Brennan. Vicky’s contribution, like theirs, cannot be understated. Since Vicky spoke up in 2018, the number of women going for screening in Ireland has continued to increase. Free smear tests have become available in the wake of the controversy but of course more is needed. The reforms that Vicky and others prompted must continue, the Scally report must be implemented in full and we must see the actions that Vicky so eloquently called for being implemented in full.

She was an inspiration to us all, but it is our responsibility to ensure that her legacy does more than just inspire us and that it feeds further into more actions that need to be taken. As she put it herself:

I don't want your tributes. I don't want your aide de campat my funeral. I don't want your accolades or your broken promises. I want action.

Rest in peace, Vicky. Suaimhneas síoraí dá h-anam dílis.

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