Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has ignored calls to resign over the cervical cancer tests scandal by controversially claiming he would not be doing his job if he informed ministers of every health crisis.

“If I do die, I do not want it to be in vain.”

Tony O’Brien, the embattled director general of the Health Service Executive last night bowed to mounting political pressure over the smear test scandal and resigned.

At least four women who have developed breast cancer are suing the State over allegations that BreastCheck failed to diagnose their condition.

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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 Government is blocking long-sought corporate manslaughter laws that would potentially see senior officials responsible for the cervical cancer tests scandal and other crises jailed because “the system is looking after itself”, it has been claimed.

Betting firms could be forced to shut down compulsive gamblers’ accounts by a new independent gambling regulator or face the prospect of significant fines under new Government plans.

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.

The HSE has agreed to pay the €150,000-a-year cost of treatment for cervical cancer victim Vicky Phelan — but is still denying other women settlements along with a US lab at the centre of the scandal.

Health Minister Simon Harris has described the HSE’s response to the cervical cancer tests scandal as “disgusting” amid growing calls for HSE director general Tony O’Brien to be sacked within days.

The HSE has refused to say how many of the 208 women known to have been affected by the cervical cancer tests scandal are terminally ill, saying the information is unavailable.

A week after the lid was lifted on the cervical cancer scandal, the Government still does not know the number of women adversely affected.

All former health ministers stretching back over the last 15 years could be hauled before a cross-party Oireachtas committee to answer questions on the cervical cancer tests scandal.

Calls have been made for the resignation of HSE director general Tony O’Brien in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal or for the Taoiseach to remove him.

At least 17 of the 208 women affected by the escalating cervical cancer tests scandal have died amid growing fears over the true scale of what happened.