Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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103. To ask the Minister for Health the number of women and families that have appeared before the CervicalCheck tribunal since its commencement; the status of his engagements with a group (details supplied) relating to the CervicalCheck tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42342/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I commenced the relevant sections of the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019 on 21 October 2020 and signed the order to appoint 27 October 2020 as the establishment day of the Tribunal.

Following a pause in establishment to allow for discussions with the 221+ Patient Representative Group in respect of the CervicalCheck Tribunal and CervicalCheck cases more generally, the nominated members were appointed to the Tribunal with effect from 1 December 2020 facilitating the Tribunal in beginning its important work.

It was originally intended that the Tribunal would be established in March, however it was delayed at that time due to COVID. A further delay arose in June due to issues with regard to Membership of the Tribunal. Further delaying the Tribunal would have resulted in an additional delay to the eligible women in having their claims processed, which was of serious concern to this Government.

To date, the Tribunal has not sat and no eligible women have appeared before it.

Significant engagement took place with the 221+ patient representative group on various issues with regard to the Tribunal and CervicalCheck cases more generally. I would welcome an opportunity to meet with the group further to make additional progress on these issues.

The Government is satisfied that the CervicalCheck Tribunal remains the most appropriate venue for CervicalCheck claims. It is, of course, entirely up to women affected as to whether or not they want to use it.