This bill sets out to amend the cervical check tribunal; Act 2019 to extend the period for the receipt of claims for compensation to cervical check tribunal until January 2022. Section 1 of the bill amends section 12 of the 2019 Act to extend the current period by a further 6 months of more at the discretion of the Minister. I welcome this bill and it is absolute minimum that should be done to compensate hundreds of women who have been affected. These women have been failed not once but twice by this government. The second failure from the stemming from the subsequent treatment of this women is appalling including relentless legal battles despite being promised by Leo Varadkar that they would not have to go to court. 270 are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and with early detection, lives can be saved. The outsourcing of cervical cancer screening is and in the past been done through the US - a move on the part of the then Fianna Fail government to cut costs without consideration given to differences in screening processes, a massive oversight in my opinion. The government continues to blame the labs in the US for these mistakes while taking no responsibility for it themselves. Fine Gael is not entirely blameless either as they continue to retain the privatisation of cervical screening in Ireland. The government has failed to protect these women from this fatal disease and they failed to show empathy, compassion, dignity, respect and accountability to these women. Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan took no accountability and was unapologetic over his failure to these women. However what is perhaps more abhorrent of Dr Holohans actions was him strongly advising against a cervical check review! 20 Irish women have died due to the cervical screening error. 136 women are in court battling over the cervical check scandal.
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