Widower Stephen Teap: ‘Publish cervical inquiry soon’

By Juno McEnroe and Catherine Shanahan

The husband of a woman who died from cervical cancer has called for an inquiry into the CervicalCheck controversy to be published as soon as possible.

Health Minister Simon Harris is expected to receive the independent report later this week and then possibly publish the inquiry the following week.

The Scally inquiry is likely to recommend a full commission of investigation. It will also examine why 200 women diagnosed with cancer were not told their smear tests were incorrectly read.

Stephen Teap’s wife, Irene, died over a year ago of cervical cancer. The Cork mother was diagnosed in 2015, after two undisclosed false tests, in 2010 and 2013.

The widower, who is on the steering committee for the Scally inquiry, said families have waited long enough.

The main thing is that the report is fast-tracked through government and made public as soon as possible. We have waited long enough.

The Scally inquiry will be submitted to Minister Harris later this week. He will then submit this to Cabinet the following week, on September 11, before it is published.

Mr Teap, together with Vicky Phelan, the Limerick woman who exposed the CervicalCheck scandal, is also due to launch the CervicalCheck Patient Support Group (CCPSG) in the middle of September. The purpose of the group is to meet the needs of patients affected by the CervicalCheck controversy and their next of kin. Three years of funding from the Department of Health has been agreed for the group

The support group will be coordinated by the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Patients’ Association, as well as the Marie Keating Foundation.

Meanwhile, a planned march on the Dáil, over the cervical cancer scandal, will take place on September 18.

The Women’s Lives Matter group will lead the protest. The group is also trying to get businesses to assist with sponsorship, transport, and facilities for the march.