Door left open for public cancer inquiry; Inquiries cost State €500m

The Government is “open to” changing legislation to guarantee any investigation into the cervical screening scandal is carried out in public.

Terminally-ill mother Vicky Phelan is demanding that any inquiry into cervical screening is not held be behind closed doors and should compel people to attend.

While the possibility of a full-blown tribunal to examine the failures in the system is still an option, it is more likely that legislation will now be changed to introduce a “bespoke” commission of inquiry to be held in public as this would be the shorter option.