Court told of cancer victim mum’s hopes
Call for tribunal to resolve cases
LAWYERS for cancer victim Emma Mhic Mhathuna told the High Court yesterday a house has still not been purchased for her five children.
The 37-year-old, who was one of the women at the centre of the Cervicalcheck scandal, was buried last week after losing her battle to the disease which had spread to her brain.
She settled her action over misread smear tests and a delay in disclosing this to her against the HSE and US laboratory Quest Diagnostics for €7.5million.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross was yesterday told a house has still not been purchased for Mrs Mhic Mhathuna’s children.
Counsel Patrick Treacy SC said it was the brave mum’s wishes that a property be bought in their names.
At a previous court hearing last July further funds were released so €1.75million was available for the purchase of a home in Dublin. Counsel asked the case be adjourned to next week when the court will be further updated on the matter.
Last July the court heard Mrs Mhic Mhathuna was to move near Dublin where she was receiving medical A TRIBUNAL should be set up to resolve cases related to the Cervicalcheck controversy, it has been proposed in a newlypublished report.
Its establishment would offer women an alternative way to resolve their cases. The report was led by treatment. At that time Mr Justice Cross directed a further €650,000 be released to her so she has a fund of €1.75million to buy a house near the capital.
Her counsel Patrick Treacy told the court it had been originally thought she would buy a property in Kerry but High Court Judge Charles Meenan. Labour’s health spokesman Alan Kelly yesterday welcomed the report, but said: “The State should support women affected by the scandal regardless of which route of recourse they decide to take.” a house they had been intending to purchase there turned out not to be suitable.
Mrs Mhic Mhathuna and her five children settled their legal action in June. Letters of apology from the HSE and Quest were also sent to her.
Mrs Mhic Mhathuna’s counsel instructed by Cian O’carroll solicitor at the time said an admission of liability by the HSE related to a failing to disclose the findings of cervical cancer.
Quest Diagnostics admitted misreading her two cervical smear slides in 2010 and 2013.
The settlementfollowed mediation talks.