James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and the manner in which it can protect women and girls from this illness, which robs so many families of their loved ones. I welcome that we will have an immediate Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, inquiry, that we are looking at a statutory inquiry and that a redress scheme is to be put in place.

There are broader issues that I want to speak to. I am glad the Minister did mentions GPs. He talks about the pressure on the call centre but I can assure him the pressure on GP surgeries at the moment is quite intense and I am grateful that we got the letter today from the HSE to bring people up to date and to remind people that if they are worried to come and talk to their doctor. I emphasise again the most important thing, which is that even if a women has had a clear smear, if she has worrying symptoms she must go and talk to her doctor. It is not a guarantee that all is well in the presence of other problems. I want to raise a number of issues with the Minister, the broader issues around this; the State Claims Agency, its approach to legal actions and its decision on when to proceed as opposed to when it should settle. I know the Minister is not directly involved in those cases but that must be reviewed. I also mention the Minister's patient safety Bill. I believe we need an independent patient safety authority that can advocate for patients and which reports directly to the Minister. It is something in which I strongly believe. I mean no disrespect to the Department of Health but it has to be seen to be totally independent. I agree with the Minister's plan to bring in open disclosure.I want to thank another woman today, Ms Aisling O'Regan from Swords, who said that she was very lucky, that the service helped her a lot and that it has helped many women. She said that if she had not taken that test she would be telling a different story today. That is really important. It underscores what Ms Vicky Phelan said, that women should continue to go for their smears. There will be a new and improved test, and I welcome that, but the current test picks up 70% of cancers.

Senator Rose Conway-Walsh commented on the 30% failure rate. The test is known to be 70% effective, ergo 30% will not be picked up. That is normal. Sometimes, when looking back at slides five doctors will say that there is a problem and a cytologist will say there is not. It is those which fall outside that scenario, where all agree that there is a problem that should have been picked up, which are seriously worrying. I believe that the Senator's suggestion, that we should have a look-back audit on BreastCheck and other screening tests where positives transpire subsequently so that we can learn from it, is a good one. We must ensure that we learn from this and that all information is shared with patients.

I appeal to women not to lose faith in cervical screening. The Government has committed to getting to the bottom of this so that we can prevent similar appalling situations from happening again. I look forward to rapid results on the basis of the actions the Minister has taken.