Dr Gabriel Scally is no longer involved in providing progress updates to the Department of Health on the CervicalCheck screening process, it has been confirmed.
The Irish Examiner reports that the Government has been called on to explain why it has “dumped” Dr Scally from the process, despite 22 of his 170 recommendations remaining unimplemented.
Dr Scally has carried out a number of reports and reviews as to how changes are being made to the process, filing his last one in 2020, after his 2018 report into the CervicalCheck scandal.
The Department of Health said that Dr Scally had “fulfilled his commitments to the process, including his two independent review reports which have been published.”
Dr Scally has told the Irish Examiner he is ready and willing to continue his work if asked to do so, but it is up to the Department to decide.
He said that while great progress has been made, he would like to see all the recommendations aimed at improving services for women “implemented and reviewed”.
The Minister for Health must now explain why he and his Department have gotten rid of him
Labour leader Alan Kelly said he is both “shocked and disappointed” to find that Dr Scally is no longer involved in the process and is set to raise the issue in the Dáil this afternoon.
Mr Kelly called for an urgent explanation from the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly.
“I find it absolutely shocking that the Government which hinged its credibility on fixing the CervicalCheck issue has effectively dumped Dr Scally when so many recommendations remain to be implemented,” he said.
“The Minister for Health must now explain why he and his Department have gotten rid of him.”
