Taoiseach provides State apology to woman with terminal cancer

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has made a State apology in the Dáil to a woman whose cervical smear test was incorrectly read and now has terminal cancer.

Mr Martin apologised on behalf of the State to Patricia Carrick, her husband Damian and their four children for what had happened. He said the family, who were listening into proceedings in the House, "were failed".

“I hope that the genuine and heartfelt apology I offer today will bring you and your family some small solace,” he said to Ms Carrick (51).

He said Ms Carrick was “badly let down and your family is going through the very worst of times because of the mistakes of others”.

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In a special statement to the House, Mr Martin said he had spoken by phone to Mr Carrick on Friday night who had outlined the terrible experience his wife and family had gone through.

He said the couple had married in 1994 and lived in Galway with four children - one of whom, their youngest Eoin - has special needs, in a home “filled with music and love”.

The Dáil was told that Ms Carrick went for a scheduled smear test but the sample was “read in a manner that was negligent and in breach of duty”.

In July of last year she was told that she had cancer and underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

“It didn’t have to be this way,” Mr Martin said. “If there had been an accurate reading of this sample Trish’s cancer would have been identified in good time and the appropriate treatment given.”

‘Negligent’

Ms Carrick went for a scheduled smear test in May 2016. The HSE and Medlab Pathologies Ltd "have now acknowledged that the sample of May 31st 2016 was read in a manner that was negligent" and apologised in court last month, which Ms Carrick was unable to be present for as she was too ill. In September she was told her cancer was terminal.

The Taoiseach said he apologised over the phone to Mr Carrick, who asked that he would also apologise publicly in the Dáil.

“I have absolutely no hesitation in doing so,” he said. “On behalf of the Government and on behalf of the nation I offer my genuine and heartfelt apologies to Trish, to Damien and to their son Ciarán, to their daughters Rioghna and Sorcha and to Eoin.”

Mr Martin said President Michael D. Higgins, who knows the family, had spoken to them. He said Ms Carrick “is going through a very challenging time in her illness”.

Opposition party and group leaders joined in paying tribute to Ms Carrick and her family. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald expressed her “solidarity ,sorrow and compassion” to the family.

Labour leader Alan Kelly in expressing his support said the issue of the CervicalCheck tribunal had to be sorted.