We need action, not soundbite promises

IF THERE is anything worse than a Government breaking a promise, it is over-promising in the first place. It is easy to understand why, given the emotion surrounding the CervicalCheck scandal when it first came to public attention, both the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health rapidly made promises that, in the past week, have completely unravelled.

First, Mr Varadkar had to row back on his claim that the women involved would be dealt with through mediation rather than an adversarial court system, when Ruth Morrissey became the latest woman affected to face resistance from the defendants in her case.

It now has been adjourned to next month, further adding to her distress at a time when her sole focus should be on receiving the aggressive radiotherapy that offers her only hope of getting better.

It was Simon Harris’s turn yesterday when he had to admit that letters are only going out to cervical cancer patients next week to ask them to give consent to their files being scrutinised, as part of a review of 1,800 smear tests. This came as a surprise to many who believed the investigation was much further advanced.

It is yet another case of the Government being over-eager and setting targets that never were realistic, as was the case with optimistic announcements that the homelessness and housing crisis would promptly be dealt with.

Buying time with rash promises makes everyone look foolish.

We expect governments to work to practical deadlines based on rational assessments of any situation. Setting themselves up to fail makes both men look politically naïve. It is time to focus less on the soundbite promises, and more on looking after these women.