“The State was still then contesting that it had any responsibility for errors in the laboratories…”
Ruth Morrissey’s solicitor has said that the State’s apology regarding the CervicalCheck controversy couldn’t have had “anything to do” with his client.
Cian O’Carroll, who also represented campaigner Vicky Phelan, said that Morrissey was could not have been included in last October’s apology to those affected by the scandal, as the State were appealing a decision on Morrissey’s case at the time.
He told Pat Kenny on Newstalk: “That apology in October in the Dáil, that was primarily around the issue of non-disclosure.
“In October when that apology was made, Ruth Morrissey was fighting a Supreme Court appeal by the State – claiming that they had no responsibility.
“So I don’t see how you can now say that the October 2019 apology had anything to do with Ruth Morrissey. It couldn’t, because if it did they couldn’t have maintained their fight.”
Statement on behalf of Ruth Morrissey’s husband, Paul @rtenews pic.twitter.com/xknmqq76Wq
— Órla O'Donnell (@Orlaodo) July 19, 2020
Morrissey tragically passed away on Sunday. She had been diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, after receiving two false negative test results from CervicalCheck in previous years.
Her husband Paul issued a statement following her death saying that it was now “too late” for a formal apology. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar responded by stating that all families affected by the scandal had been apologised to last year.
O’Carroll said that Morrissey was “gutted” when the State appeal went ahead. He added that it was “a huge delay” for his client and that she was “watching the clock running down on her life.”
“She was looking towards this spring for her daughter’s first holy communion and she was planning something that would be akin to a large family wedding to mark that,” he said.
“She knew that was going to be her last family occasion with her little daughter. That, unfortunately, didn’t happen because of Covid-19 restrictions.
“Bt she desperately hoped that the last six months maybe wouldn’t be marred by an appeal.”
