Results 7,401-7,420 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: I will do that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: Damien McCallion, the chap with responsibility for that area, is here.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: I have a lot to get through, so I would appreciate it if the witnesses can be concise. The table Mr. Breen provided contained information on claims and litigation. On CervicalCheck it tells us that there are 73 claims which are active and which have not been settled, five claims have been settled, one claim has closed and there are six potential claims. How many cases have been settled due...

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: This information is very important. There are 73 active claims and six further potential claims. Of the cases that have settled because of negligence, is the witness aware of the reasons for their being settled?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: I appreciate that and I understand that, but I wanted to get a sense of it for the public because there has been a lot of commentary on this matter. We need to bring this debate back a bit and get a sense of where the division is from the point of view of the witness, who is representing the State. It is important that people have that information. Cases have been settled or closed where...

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: The witness just accepts that the laboratories accept that.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: It is an important point that I do not think we have discussed before.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: That is an important point. The distinction between non-disclosure and negligence or potential negligence will become more of an issue as we go through these cases. As the cases progress, we will get more transparency on that. Is that fair to say?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: My colleagues have referenced the next matter I want to discuss. Much attention has been given to the length of time it is taking for the women affected and their solicitors to get the slides from the laboratories. One solicitor has very publicly said that three clients were waiting more than three months for their slides after having agreed to the protocol release of the slides, and we...

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: An average figure is fine, but what is the longest period for any individual?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: Why was that?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: Does the HSE have contractual obligations that the laboratories have to honour? One should not have to wait for 70 days for slides. In a period of 70 days the health issues for a woman in these circumstances could range from fairly serious to who knows what. They are entitled to them.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: It is their human right. Having to wait for 70 days is just unacceptable and beyond commentary.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: Why, in some cases, did solicitors representing clients have to go to court to escalate the matter?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: I will come back to it. I want to ask the Department of Health about when the decision was made to offer free screening to all women. The Committee of Public Accounts would like to know how much it is going to cost. In fairness to him, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, made the decision for the right reasons, but there may be questions as to whether it was the right one. I...

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: To be honest, I know what they are. From a departmental point of view, we do not have answers to those two questions.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: That is a pity because it a fairly important point.

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: Let us be honest, the Department of Health is watching the proceedings. Can we publicly ask it to answer my two questions?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: Can someone from the Department, on behalf of colleagues in front of the committee, please, furnish the information on the cost of free screening and the advice received from the Department?

Public Accounts Committee: Matters related to Medical Negligence, Open Disclosure, Cervical Cancer and Thalidomide Litigation (8 Nov 2018)

Alan Kelly: If Mr. McCallion does not mind, there is a pathway in this questioning. In fairness to him, his answers are very transparent. We now know that between May and September, there were almost 42,500 repeat screenings and that 86,000 samples have been progressed. Is that correct?