VICKY ‘LOOKING FORWARD’ TO ADDRESSING PAC

VICKY Phelan, the woman whose cancer diagnosis lead to the uncovering of the CervicalCheck scandal, will appear before the Dáil Public Accounts Committee today.

Mrs Phelan, who was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer after getting the allclear on a smear test, will appear alongside Stephen Teap, whose wife died of cervical cancer after her smear was misread.

Mrs Phelan and fellow cancer sufferer Emma Mhic Mhathúna have been widely lauded for their bravery in speaking out about the scandal.

The PAC will investigate the events surrounding a failure to inform 209 women diagnosed with cervical cancer that their earlier tests had been incorrect.

Ms Phelan tweeted that she was looking forward to the meeting today and thanked Laois TD – and chairman of the PAC – Sean Fleming, for all his support.

‘I am looking forward to appearing with Stephen tomorrow before PAC. Doing my homework tonight so that I am 110% prepared,’ she said.

Deputy Fleming said that it was important that victims of the scandal be involved in the proceedings.

‘The committee will get a fuller understanding of what didn’t happen at CervicalCheck, and this knowledge will assist us to seek a greater level of accountability when we question senior officials in the department of Health and the HSE,’ Mr Fleming said.

The TD added that the country couldn’t wait for a commission of inquiry as ‘answers and accountability’ were needed immediately. ‘We need answers as to the state of knowledge of this issue at the senior levels in the Department and the HSE,’ he said.

Mr Fleming said public officials would also be given the opportunity to highlight the importance of the Cervical Check system in Irish health care. ‘They will also get an opportunity to report progress on the changes that have been implemented to inform all those women, and the families of those women who have died, about the outcome of the cervical screening audit,’ he said.