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Health Minister Simon Harris RollingNews.ie

Harris: 'Absolutely pathetic' that unsearchable documents were provided to scoping probe

The Scally probe has been provided with unsearchable and hard to read documents.

HEALTH MINISTER SIMON Harris has said it is “absolutely pathetic” and “not acceptable” that scanned documents were sent to the Cervical Check scoping probe.

It emerged this week that Dr Gabriel Scally, who is heading up the probe, had been provided with unsearchable and difficult to read documentation by state bodies.

Harris, speaking to RTE’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, said that he would be writing to the HSE today to insist that information be provided to Scally in a way that makes sense so he can get on with his work.

Making interim recommendations yesterday the Scally inquiry said an immediate ex- gratia payment of €2,000 should be paid to each woman involved in the Cervical Check scandal and to the next of kin of the deceased.

An end-of-June deadline was initially imposed on the scoping probe – but it’s now expected to conclude at the end of the summer.

Scally said yesterday that it had been difficult to obtain information in the format required.

“I am frustrated by it,” he said. “The problem is the volume of information that we’re going to have to go through and its availability to us, because it is not yet coming either in the quantity I would want it or in the way I would want it.”

He added:

I will not be letting walls get in my way, whether they are stone or otherwise.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil today that the government expected full cooperation by all agencies and said anyone who attempted to obstruct the work of the investigation was obstructing the work of the government.

Responding to questions from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin he said the government was “committed to establishing a Commission of Inquiry” but that it was important the Scally probe conclude its work first.

The CervicalCheck controversy came into the public eye when Vicky Phelan, whose cervical cancer is now terminal, settled a High Court action against the HSE and the US laboratory tasked with reviewing one of her smears.

At least 18 women whose smear tests were highlighted during an audit have since died. Health Minister Simon Harris launched an inquiry into the controversy last month, imposing that June deadline.

The scoping inquiry will examine details of the non-disclosure of information from Cervical Check audits to patients and what various parties, including the HSE and the Department of Health, knew and when they knew it.

It will also examine the tendering, contracting and operation of the labs contracted by Cervical Check.

A separate strand of the examination will review the screening tests of all the women who have developed cervical cancer who participated in the screening programme since it was established (more details on the probe here).

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    Mute Gerry Ivie
    Favourite Gerry Ivie
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    May 9th 2014, 8:40 PM

    Meanwhile, the fatcat bond holders were compensated fully. Didn’t happen though when ordinary working men and women were persuaded by Mary O Rourke to beg borrow or steal to buy shares in Eircom…..

    96
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    Mute Michael G O'Reilly
    Favourite Michael G O'Reilly
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    May 9th 2014, 10:31 PM

    You may be sure that the majority of the managers and higher level workers lost out on nothing . As usual Mulvey, an ex trade union leader, is a disgrace !

    23
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    Mute Philip
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    May 9th 2014, 8:46 PM

    Bloody whingers they were happy when the bank was doing well.
    They were happy when the bonuses were coming in.
    Lucky to be getting anything should only be statutory and be glad of it.

    58
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    Mute Patrick O'Rourke
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    May 9th 2014, 8:45 PM

    Frankly, they suffer because they are playing golf with the wrong crowd

    54
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    Mute scooter mcgavin
    Favourite scooter mcgavin
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    May 9th 2014, 8:47 PM

    My heart bleeds

    50
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    Mute gerbreen
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    May 9th 2014, 9:40 PM

    No bank in receipt of state funds should have been allowed to offer anything beyond statutory redundancy. Maybe not a reflection on the person but the company was dead. I await with interest to see where John Moran pops up now he has allowed recapitalisation of banks.

    46
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    Mute Rehabmeerkat
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    May 9th 2014, 10:25 PM

    Staff who resigned not entitled to redundancy… Shock Horror

    30
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    Mute Kevin Brady
    Favourite Kevin Brady
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    May 9th 2014, 8:52 PM

    my dad got his mortgage from anglo when it was a fella in an office.he got €4000 to build the house in dublin, and in the height the house was worth €650,000. in walkinstown. mental stuff

    25
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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    May 9th 2014, 9:46 PM

    But he built it in the rare old times yeah ?

    15
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    Mute Jonny Martin
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    May 9th 2014, 10:08 PM

    Anglo Irish Bank never offered residential mortgages

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    Mute Kevin Brady
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    May 9th 2014, 10:18 PM

    rare old times is right mate. even in walkintown… the house is big and had an extension with utility room and jax. it really makes ye remember how crazy it all was

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    Mute Kate Foley
    Favourite Kate Foley
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    May 10th 2014, 2:19 AM

    Maybe I’m Missing something, but if you leave a job for a better offer, even if the company you work for is in trouble, you are not entitled to any redundancy. How is this even an issue for reporting in the media????

    23
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    Mute Andrew Potts
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    May 9th 2014, 10:26 PM

    I have no sympathy for Anglo staff they did a crap job building a busted bank, paid themselves well and the country was left holding a bill for their collective stupidity. Just suck it up the same as contractors who never got paid or small business that went bust. I shared a lift with a stupid girl who had worked for Anglo and she could see no connection with the loss of services in society and her former company’s bad business decisions

    20
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    Mute Deirdre Whelehan
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    May 9th 2014, 10:05 PM

    Comments closed for Seanie et pals court case-but open for actual current staff working 9-5 same as u-shame on you Journal

    17
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    Mute Owen Kennedy
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    May 9th 2014, 9:47 PM

    Good. Finally a little bit of justice. It appears the country is slowly releasing its head from its anoos

    13
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    Mute Kate Foley
    Favourite Kate Foley
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    May 10th 2014, 2:21 AM

    Maybe I’m Missing something, but if you leave a job for a better offer, especially if the company you work for is in trouble, you’re not entitled to reduntancy!!!!!!

    10
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    Mute Jeffrey McMahon
    Favourite Jeffrey McMahon
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    May 10th 2014, 12:24 AM

    “The reason for this, according to the IBOA, is because creditors of the IBRC could legally pursue payments made to those who left early.”

    Excellent. They can go after Fitzpatrick then, biggest payout in one person right there.

    6
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    Mute mark o leary
    Favourite mark o leary
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    May 9th 2014, 10:28 PM

    The lapdogs for the leprechauns who ruined the country,let them starve,call it the Anglo famine.

    4
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