Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today is a great day for our new Members and I salute them and welcome them. We will put the swords back into the scabbard today but after today we will resume hostilities.The new Senators are very welcome and I hope they enjoy the day.

Fourteen Members of the House have raised the issue of cervical cancer. As Leader of the House and leader of the Fine Gael group, I join all Members in condemning the treatment of all the women involved. This should not be happening in an Irish society that is supposed to cherish all equally. There are 70 women who have died and 160 are waiting for answers. As some Members of the House said, the latter are living in fear and petrification. Senator Conway-Walsh should note I intend to have the Minister come to the House. Unfortunately, he is in the Dáil Chamber today. I hope to have him here either tomorrow or Thursday. I will have him in at the earliest possible opportunity. It is critical that all of us, particularly the affected women and their families, receive the full facts and all the information. It beggars belief that the Minister for Health did not have all the information and was not given it by the people we charge with the administration of the health service of our country. It is time people were held to account. Let us do so when we have all the facts and the full facts, and not just some of the facts.

All of us in this House are angry, dismayed and sorry, and we are sickened and appalled by the treatment of Vicky Phelan and the women involved. I commend Vicky Phelan on her bravery and courage. There should be no withholding of information from patients, their doctors or a Minister. No longer can we accept it. It should not be accepted. Senator Conway and others are right that there are those who must be held to account who have to be held to account. It is time that we, as a society, held to account those charged with the administration of our health system. I will await the full facts. I speak as a Chairman of a committee that engaged in pre-legislative scrutiny regarding open disclosure and medical indemnity. Senator Burke was a very strong part of that committee. We must get the full facts, whether it is through HIQA or a statutory inquiry. I do not mind once we get all the information and the facts for those involved.

The Minister said the re-checks will be free. I heard Senator Craughwell's remarks on that in terms of the telephone number. I do believe what is advocated will be done by the Minister. It is a matter of giving out the information. As the Taoiseach said in the Dáil regarding open disclosure, it is the Government’s intention to bring forward legislation to provide for open disclosure and to make it mandatory.

It is also worth noting that we had an all-party committee dealing with the issue of open disclosure that opted to propose the voluntary route first and the mandatory route second. That is what the Government is following and it is in the programme for Government. The Taoiseach asked the Attorney General, on behalf of the Government, to examine the early settlement of similar cases to avoid, as many Members have mentioned, lengthy, unnecessary, costly legal cases and actions. It is important that we see that action followed through. The duty of candour is contained in the Medical Council guidelines, which must be followed.

It is important that we establish all the facts. The statutory inquiry or investigation is not being ruled out. What the Government will do next will be based on getting the full information and all the facts. We must restore confidence in the cervical cancer screening programme. It is important that we state today that the screening programme saves lives, as Senator Burke and others have said. The HPV vaccine does prevent the loss of life. It is worth noting that our cancer care has improved.

Senator Mullen raised the issue of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' statement. I ask him and all Members to read it because it is about urging women to have smear tests and calling for a thorough investigation. It is important to remember that screening for cervical cancer is an important, cost-effective public health initiative but, more important, it saves lives.

I will have the Minister come to the House as soon as possible. As I said, that is my intent. I hope Senator Conway-Walsh will accept my bona fides on that as she knows I have always endeavoured to have the Minister attend as fast as I can.

Senator Dolan raised the issue of World Asthma Day. It is an important day. Four hundred and fifty thousand people in the country have some type of asthma.That is one in every ten people, and 21% of children are affected. I commend the Asthma Society of Ireland on its role.

Senator Bacik referred to the sugar tax. I commend Senator Noone and the Irish Heart Foundation on their work in this regard. I hope Healthy Ireland will be the umbrella under which we can reduce the risk of obesity. I commend all at Trinity College, as Senator Bacik said, for The Cambridge History of Ireland. I note the words of an t-Uachtarán, who has taken up Senator Conway's Private Members' motion about having history as a core subject on the curriculum. It is important that we commend that.

Senator Byrne referred to apprenticeships. We will have a debate on that issue in due course.

Senator Mulherin referred to education and the plight of old schools. She specifically referred to Barr na Caóige. I agree with the Leas-Chathaoirleach that raising this as a Commencement matter would, perhaps, be a more expeditious route in the context of obtaining a response. However, there is a need for local authorities, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and schools to work together.

Senator Norris raised the issue of the posters being put up during the current referendum campaign. I reiterate what I said last week, namely, that I hope the Referendum Commission will have a role to play in the way in which posters are, first, being placed outside maternity hospitals, which is despicable and which we should all condemn-----