Those bubbles might once have been sound bites, now they are the foam formed by a minister gulping for air, writes Gerard Howlin

Minister for Health Simon Harris twice declined to express confidence in the director general of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Tony O’Brien.

Irene Teap wrote of how the joy on her two sons’ faces on a family trip to Disneyland was “the very best medicine” just two months before she died of cervical cancer.

The former head of CervicalCheck recommended just three of 10 women with cervical cancer whose cases she reviewed be informed that they were part of a smear audit.

Who will appoint the next CEO of the HSE? To whom will that person report? What will be different?

The Government’s cervical cancer tests scandal review will examine serious fears that the State failed to ensure the quality of the labs to which it outsourced services — but may delay its findings until the end of June.

The husband of a woman who was twice given incorrect smear test results and who subsequently died of cervical cancer deserves answers and all the support the State can offer, the Tánaiste said yesterday.

The HSE helpline set up to reassure women with cervical cancer concerns failed to respond to three-quarters of callers as of yesterday.

The husband of a woman who was twice given incorrect smear test results and subsequently died of cervical cancer has called for HSE boss Tony O’Brien to be sacked or resign — and has not ruled out suing the State for what happened.

HSE director general Tony O’Brien is set to quit his post four weeks earlier than planned amid calls from victims of the cervical cancer tests scandal, Opposition politicians, and at least one Government TD, for him to resign or be fired immediately.

Nurses fear the HSE’s spending plan poses a “high risk” to the safe delivery of patient care.

HSE director general Tony O’Brien has described the Kerry University Hospital scans controversy as “a serious issue”.

The HSE faces significant budgetary pressures in 2018, including having to make savings of €346m, with no contingency fund, and “no capacity” to respond to further pay or other pressures.

The HSE has warned of critical “cost pressures” next year.