Why are we still seeing CervicalCheck cases going through the courts?
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said that the fact that another CervicalCheck case has passed through the courts is not good enough.
Deputy Kelly said:
“Despite promise after promise from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health that it wouldn’t happen, another CervicalCheck case has ended up in court. While the case will now go through the mediation process, it is not good enough that it ended up in a court room.
“The very reason as to why a tribunal process was meant to be established by the Government was to stop these cases going through the courts. Months after the announcement that a Tribunal was to be established, we have yet to see any legislation to put this process into train.
“The Government needs to stop making promises to CervicalCheck victims that it has little or no intention of keeping. No woman who is embroiled in the CervicalCheck scandal is going to forget the very public promises Leo Varadkar made on the 6.1 news about no more cases going to court.
“Women at the centre of the CervicalCheck scandal need to be treated with dignity, the Government seem to be doing little to provide these women with dignity.
“Despite assurances from Government that no more cases would end up going through the courts, here we are with the first case of 2019, and due to absolute indifference from the Government, I am sure it will not be the last.
“Women with Cervical Cancer are going through enough, they should not have to go through lengthy legal processes.
“When will the Government actually keep their word to women and their families? There’s only so many times they can be let down.”