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Vicky Phelan says Health Minister apologised over Cervical Check tribunal concerns

Vicky Phelan says the Minister for Health has apologised after he was accused of ignoring her and...
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98FM

09.25 24 Oct 2020


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Vicky Phelan says Health Minis...

Vicky Phelan says Health Minister apologised over Cervical Check tribunal concerns

98FM
98FM

09.25 24 Oct 2020


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Vicky Phelan says the Minister for Health has apologised after he was accused of ignoring her and fellow campaigners' concerns about a Cervical Check tribunal.

Stephen Donnelly had proposed the tribunal into the handling of the controversy get underway on Tuesday.

However, Ms Phelan and members of the 221+ group say their concerns around the adversarial nature of the process and the statute of limitations are being ignored.

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Representatives of the group of Cervical Check campaigners met virtually with Minister Donnelly last night to discuss their concerns about the tribunal.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast with Susan Keogh, she said the Minister was "apologetic" about the way the group had been communicated with.

She said: "He said his only motivation is to find the least bad way forward, they were the words he used, in this for the women and families concerned.

"We had a fairly frank exchange of views because we are all used to seeing this happen time and time again.

"Poor communication from the Department and then apologies, and we're just sick of it now.

"We're giving him until next week and allowing them time to take on board the issues that we've already raised."

She added: "They are very valid issues, we have every interest in seeing this tribunal established but it has to be a workable tribunal that takes into consideration the concerns of the people it's aimed at.

"One of the huge issues with it is the statute of limitations issue which hasn't even been addressed in the letter we did receive.

"There's a group of around 60 from the original 221 group who are holding out for this tribunal."

With regard to the statute of limitations on this issue, she said that a lot of people are not aware of the fact that there is a two-year time limit from when you have been notified that harm has been done.

She said: "It's through no fault of their own that these people are statute-barred, it's the government who have delayed establishing this tribunal.

"That's one issue that we need addressed in writing before we will engage with this because otherwise there's a whole group of people who will not be able to avail of this because they were waiting for the tribunal."

'Extremely disappointing'

Ms Phelan said the 221+ group have asked for confirmation on those issues before the tribunal goes ahead.

She said it was "extremely disappointing" that the tribunal is facing problems before it even begins.

She added that recurrence of cervical cancer was a huge concern for many women in the 221+ group, and that there should be some inclusion in the tribunal legislation providing for this.

Ms Phelan said: "When it comes back, you're going to end up like Ruth [Morrissey], like Emma Mhic Mhathúna, like me, you are going to die, there's no cure for this.

"These are all issues we raised in the beginning and we were not listened to so we're at the point now where we're not going to engage with this if they're not going to be taken on board."

She said she accepted the apology of Minister Donnely but said it was about action, not words, going forward.

Main image: Vicky Phelan surrounded by some of the 221+ cervical cancer patients who received an incorrect smear test, leaving the Dáil in October 2019. Picture by: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

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221+ Cervical Cancer Cervical Check Stephen Donnelly Vicky Phelan

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