Government hypocrisy over Emma’s death is part of this national scandal

THE hypocrisy of our Government was laid bare over the weekend with the death of Emma Mhic Mhathúna.

They queued up on radio and television to extend their condolences to her family.

The Taoiseach and the Health Minister were first in line. If you did not know, you could believe that the condolences were in respect of a train crash, not a calamity caused by the Government “spectators” under their watch.

She was one of the 221 women who had been given incorrect smear test results.

In the words of Dr Scally, “the Cervical-Check screening system (there is that word again) was doomed to failure”.

In a bland statement, the Health Minister said “the report finds significant failures of governance and structure”.

As is reported in your paper of October 8: “What was happening to Emma was a microcosm of the national scandal that was unfolding on the front pages and the airwaves”.

We are told by the “spectators” that pass for a Government that it was the usual “system error” and it will not happen again.

We have heard that excuse so often that we could all write the report of any failing of this dysfunctional administration.

We are probably the only electorate in the civilised world that would listen, or be expected to listen, to these explanations.

Elsewhere, except in dictatorships, the “spectators” and their minions would be fired.

Hugh Duffy

Cleggan, Co Galway