‘Cancer scandal is manslaughter’
ex-td calls for those in charge to face the law
A FORMER TD believes those responsible for the Cervicalcheck scandal should be charged with manslaughter.
In a scathing attack, ex-fine Gael Senator Niamh Cosgrave called for an independent Garda investigation into the disaster.
She added: “The Government are busy giving empathy to victims without actually doing anything.
“They owe it to Irish women to find out who was responsible.”
Ms Cosgrave blasted Health Minister Simon Harris for not providing more help to patients affected by the scandal.
And she called for those responsible to be held to account for their negligence.
She said: “In France, that’s what they do with civil servants. It should be done in Ireland too.”
Ms Cosgrave, who now lives in the west of the country, made the plea on behalf of her friend who is currently receiving hospice care.
The pair had hoped to meet over the Christmas period but she does not now think she will survive that long.
Ms Cosgrave was at the centre of the Anti-d scandal in the 1990s, having contracted Hepatitis C through a blood transfusion.
The 54-year-old was the first woman to go public, openly criticising the State’s donor service and campaigning for a compensation scheme.
The Cervicalcheck scandal came to light in May when Vicky Phelan won a High Court case after being wrongly given the all-clear from a smear test.
The HSE then revealed 209 results should have highlighted the need for earlier intervention.
Last month, mum-of-five Emma Mhic Mhathuna died after being given incorrect information by a US lab used by Cervicalcheck.
She was awarded €7.5million after suing the health service. The 37-year-old from Co Kerry went public in May. She described her situation to Raidio na Gaeltachta as “living through a horrible dream”. The HSE did not comment when contacted last night.