Varadkar to ensure all women impacted by CervicalCheck scandal receive €2,000 ex-gratia payment
The Taoiseach has directly intervened to ensure all women impacted by the CervicalCheck scandal receive a €2,000 ex-gratia payment.
Patient advocates had been informed by the HSE that the payment would not be given to the latest group of 250 women who were identified through the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) review.
Following the recommendation by Dr Gabriel Scally, the Government agreed to provide the immediate ex-gratia payment back in 2018 to each woman impacted by the CervicalCheck scandal.
Those who were caught up in the controversy were also given other supports including a medical card.
However, the HSE last week wrote to the 221 Plus cervical check patient support group stating that the package of support on offer to the latest group of women "does not include the €2,000 ex-gratia payment".
Leo Varakdar has now said all women should be paid this money and he has spoken directly to Health Minister Simon Harris about this.
Speaking at a National Childcare Scheme event this morning, Mr Varadkar said: "The reason why the €2000 ex-gratia was paid to the 221 group was because Dr Scally requested that that be done in order to cover the costs for women needed to engage with him.
"So, this is slightly different in that the RCOG group of women won't be engaging with Dr Scally, however they will be engaging and have engaged, for example, with RCOG and may have to engage with the support group as well."
Mr Varadkar added: "So it is my view that taking that into account, the €2,000 should be extended to the women who had discordant smear results, that may have had a clinical impact and I expressed that to the Minister for Health yesterday so I would be confident that that can be done."
