Taoiseach needs to come out of hiding & speak to nation today on Cervical Check Controversy

Issued : Saturday 28 July, 2018

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said the Taoiseach needs to come out of hiding & speak to the nation today on Cervical Check Controversy.

Deputy Kelly said:

"The Taoiseach and his Government are in hiding on the Cervical Check controversy. What happened to Ruth Morrissey this week was a disgrace heaped upon a national disgrace.

"The way she has been callously treated by organs of the state while the Taoiseach sits idly by is unforgivable.

"The Taoiseach promised wholeheartedly in May that the state would take over the cases of all the women affected and take over the labs component of those cases if necessary in order to avoid these women having to enduring the spectre of having to appear in court and go through publicly their own private health details.

"This has not happened. Instead Ruth Morrissey had to face a defence team of 17 lawyers earlier this week. A disgrace.

"So the Taoiseach needs to come out of hiding today and address the following.

"In May when he made these commitments he either 1. Wasn’t accurate in what he said and clearly misspoke or 2. He didn’t know or understand what he was taking about? It’s one of the other and both are deeply worrying. Looking back on his appearance on RTE 6.1 News at the time it’s clear he wasn’t on top of the issue.

"So whichever it is he now needs to clearly come out and say what he is going to do now. Either the State Claims Agency can take over all these cases to avoid court appearances for the women affected or they can’t.

"It would be a disgrace if they can’t. He needs to talk to us today and come out of hiding. The women affected by this deserve to know now. We need honesty from the Taoiseach not spin”.