Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Again today I have to raise the issue of the cervical screening scandal and the failure of the Government to respond to the calls for the head of the HSE to be removed. It symbolises its ineptitude to deal with the horrific situation that presents for women. The words "contempt" and "unfeeling" come to mind when I see the response of the Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar. It is certainly not the response that I or other women I speak with would expect from a State leader.Women have died and others are fighting for their lives while the Government fails to act decisively to hold those in a position of responsibility and authority to account. The women and families affected by this scandal are speaking but the Government is just not listening. I have spent the past two days in the finance committee questioning the State Claims Agency, and today in the health committee with the Ministers and the HSE. I have come to the conclusion that the web of unaccountability and the lack of transparency and clear communication pathways are beginning to look like an aerial shot of spaghetti junction on a very foggy day. This is just not good enough.

I also ask for the Minister for Finance to come into the House to discuss the approach of the State Claims Agency regarding medical negligence. There are further questions to be asked in this area but the Minister also needs to take on board the suggestion from my party colleague, Deputy Pearse Doherty, that the HSE and the State Claims Agency address the situation with the two private American companies rather than have individual women and their families go through legal battles with profit-maximising companies. The person who presided over the confusion, and played a key part in the decision to contract out these key services to these private American companies, must go and must go now. He has presided over negligence, concealment and misinformation with the most serious consequences for women and their families. If we do not do this we are left with the question, "What would it take to hold the head of the HSE to account?"