Results 26,701-26,720 of 46,081 for speaker:Simon Harris
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: My Department will be covered by any inquiry or investigation and indeed will appear before the committee tomorrow. In fairness to the officials in the Department, we are again having a conversation in the context of information that is known now but was not known to them then, as far as I am informed. There is a reason we are having a statutory review and a statutory inquiry. It will...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: It is absolutely the Deputy's prerogative to do so. I want Irish women to continue to access the screening programme now.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I do not have a monopoly on that. I have heard the Deputy saying that as well. It is more useful if I say a few sentences before she comes back in. Even if we are saying that our screening programme is really important, I think it causes unnecessary alarm to express concern about where smears are being sent and about the validity of the results from there. I do not believe the Deputy...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I am making-----
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I do not have that answer at my disposal.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I am making an important-----
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I have a duty to inform people of the information.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: What I have learned in recent days is that the only thing I can say with absolute 100% certainty is what I know. That is why I want to have a statutory inquiry to establish the exact answers to the Deputy's very important questions about who knew what, when and where. As the Deputy can imagine, in recent days and since last week I have spoken extensively with my departmental officials. I...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: The Deputy has the document I had, as it was given to me, with the exception that the personal information of Ms Phelan has been redacted. The Deputy asked a very specific question about when my Department knew about or became aware of the advice of the National Cancer Control Programme and the National Screening Service. My understanding is that it was in the immediate days before the...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: Yes, I have a date-----
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I do not have the date on the letter, but I am informed that my Department was first made aware on 6 April. I expect my Department to provide the Deputy will all relevant dates tomorrow at the Oireachtas committee meeting, but 6 April was the date on which my officials tell me that the Department was first made aware. On the evening of 16 April, the note to which the Deputy refers, arrived...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: No, my Department did not know on 6 April about 208 other patients, about Dr. Flannelly's correspondence with Dr. Hickey, or a range of other issues. Knowing what we now know, namely, that there was a much more widespread issue for women in this country, clearly it was an issue of significant patient concern. On the press statement, if one reads the statement, one will see that it was...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: It was emailed to me and I was given a hard copy.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that I do not think it is acceptable that I am coming into the House to address it on such an important matter and that I am hearing this information only moments before coming into it and hoping I have enough time to explain to it, factually, what I have been told. If I had more detail, Deputy O'Reilly would have it right now. I provided my best indication of the detail...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I have been fully truthful and open on this issue since I became aware of it and wanted to continue in that vein tonight but what I was told of this evening is as Deputy Donnelly correctly outlined. I had been told, and I believe most Members of this House would have understood, that CervicalCheck was notified of all cases of cervical cancer by the national cancer registry. I have said to...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Donnelly for his constructive offer of support, and I would appreciate the support of any Member of this House in terms of what we can do to reassure the public. I take the point Deputy Connolly makes about that but there are women asking many questions and I want to provide them the right information. I would point out for the information of the House that a new guidance has...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: Yes.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Donnelly for his important question. I reassure Members that I had no intention of putting any Member in a position whereby they were not prepared to debate this issue. This information was brought to my attention minutes before I came to the Chamber. Had I come here but not shared that information with Members, I would face far more serious questions.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I welcome the opportunity to update the House on issues of concern that have arisen with regard to CervicalCheck, the population-based national cervical screening programme. I wish to share as much information as I can and that I have, and to set out the actions I have taken. I again recognise the contribution of Vicky Phelan in bringing this matter to our attention. I thank her and her...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: There is one being sent. Will we wait for it?