Rose Conway-Walsh demands HPV vaccine access and tribunal reform
Rose Conway-Walsh spoke in the Dáil about the Cervical Check Tribunal and the cost of the HPV vaccine, arguing the tribunal is not fit for purpose and that trust must be rebuilt. She urged the minister to include the HPV vaccine in the drugs payment scheme or make it free for those medically advised to need it.
Tribunal performance concerns
She said the bill seeks an extension to the duration of the Cervical Check Tribunal but warned that with only single-figure claims it is not working and not fit for purpose. She insisted trust needs to be earned and called for the problems to be fixed immediately.
Consultations and time extension
She welcomed the minister's commitment to consultations and the suggestion that women will have more time, but noted that in the cervical scandal many women did not have more time and that shortfall must be addressed once and for all.
HPV vaccine affordability
She raised the affordability of the HPV vaccine repeatedly, citing that she had raised the issue on 15th December, 13th January, 26th April and 6th May. She said there are women who have been medically advised to get the vaccine but who do not have medical cards and cannot afford the 600 euro fee; she asked for at least inclusion in the drugs payment scheme.
Appeal to ministerial responsibility
She acknowledged that NIAC advice may be cited but said the minister ultimately carries responsibility - "the buck stops at you" - and urgently pleaded that the vaccine be provided to those medically deemed to need it, calling for clear, tangible action from the minister.
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Minister, while this bill is seeking a necessary extension to the duration of the Cervical Check Tribunal, we have to face the fact that with only single figure claims it is not working and it is not fit for purpose and I think you have heard that loud and clear, now I welcome what you have said today in terms of the consultations that will take place and you know you say that women will have more time, well unfortunately in the cervical scandal many women did not have more time and that was the issue, now this needs to be addressed, it needs to be addressed once and for all and trust needs to be earned Minister and you need to fix this and you need to fix it now, Minister I have raised with you, I talk about trust and I have raised with you on the 15th of December, the 13th of January, the 26th of April and the 6th of May the issue of the affordability of the HPV vaccine, I am pleased asking you to listen to me again today, there are women who can't afford this, there are women who have medically been advised by their consultants and by their doctors and they don't have a medical card and the 600 euro that has been demanded for this HPV vaccine is not right, can you please include it in the drugs payment scheme at least at a minimum, I think it should be free, I am not asking for it for everybody, I know the programme is there but I keep getting back benign answers to the question that I am asking, there are women who cannot afford this who don't have medical cards, they cannot afford the 600 euro, now I know that you will say that it's NIAC advice and all of that but please, you are the Minister, the buck stops at you, please, please, please, please, give the HPV vaccine to those who need it, those who are medically deemed to need it by their medical practitioners, gore maagod. please, please, please, please, please, please.
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