Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom comhbhrón a dhéanamh inniu le clann Emma Mhic Mhathúna agus lena leanaí. Bean cróga agus máthair iontach ab ea í. On behalf of the Sinn Féin team in the Seanad, I want to express our sadness and extend our condolences to Emma's children, her daughter Natasha, her sons, Séamus, Mario, Oisín and Donnacha, her father, Peter, and her wider family and friends.

Today, we must also remember those other women who have died during the cervical cancer scandal, particularly the woman who died over the weekend, and we send our solidarity and condolences to her family. I also send solidarity to Vicky Phelan and those women who are coping with their illness at this time. I wish them well. We must never forget Emma's words when she said earlier this year:

I shouldn't be dying, that's what makes this a tragedy. I feel like I've essentially been murdered. I should be here another 50 years. The end of life is part of God's plan but this isn't God's plan. I'm dying because of human error and that's disgusting.

The efforts of the community in Baile na nGall in the Dún Chaoin Gaeltacht are testament to an active and well-loved member who embraced the language and culture of her new home. It was clear from her long interview on Raidió na Gaeltachta earlier in the summer that she found some peace in that place and that it was very important to her that it was in Kerry that she spent her last weeks with her beloved children.

While we have all admired her work in recent months, we must stay true to our commitment to honour her by ensuring this never happens again. Part of that is the call to action by her solicitor, Cian O'Carroll, who stated that none of the 221 errors has been investigated. This is so even though the contracts with the laboratories provide specifically and clearly that if the State wishes, it can send the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, to them to find out why the errors happened, just as we need to know why they were covered up.

Emma died knowing hundreds of women and their families still wait for answers and the most basic information on their care or that of their loved ones. This is a scandal on top of a scandal and it must be dealt with as a matter of urgency. Emma's legacy must be truth and accountability. May she rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.