Cervical cancer protesters vow not to be silenced

HUNDREDS of protesters who gathered in simultaneous rallies in Cork and Dublin warned last night they would not be silenced until the proposed life-saving cervical cancer vaccine programme is reinstated.

Organised through the social networking site Facebook, the protests will put additional pressure on the Minister for Health Mary Harney — who has drawn heavy criticism since she announced the scheme to vaccinate 12-year-old girls would not go ahead — to rethink her decision.

So far 10,638 people have signed up to a Facebook group entitled Harney must reinstate cervical cancer vaccine.