Government to accept extension to deadline on symphysiotomies

The Government will accept what it has described as “seriously flawed” Opposition legislation to extend the deadline to allow women who suffered symphysiotomies take their case to court.

Minister for Health Dr James Reilly told the Dáil the Statue of Limitations (Amendment) Bill introduced by Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin "may not achieve the objectives" intended but he said he wanted to give a strong message to the women involved "that I intend to help them get closure to this matter in the fairest way possible".

Some 1,500 women are estimated to have suffered symphysiotomies, having their pelvises broken during childbirth, between the 1950s and the 1990s and suffering lifelong ill-health as a consequence.

Mr Ó Caoláin said about 1,300 of the women had since died including some in recent weeks. Women affected by the controversial procedure, including those in their 80s and 90s, filled the Dáil public gallery for the private member’s debate which continues tonight.

Finality
The Minister hoped to bring finality to this issue as soon as possible and "the women who've had this procedure deserve nothing less", he said. He told the House that he would act expeditiously on the issue and to applause he said "when I say expeditious, I don't mean years I mean this year". He added, however, that the Government "is not persuaded that lifting the bar on the statute of limitations will resolve the problems facing the women who wish to bring their cases". But he agreed to accept the Bill because of the Government's commitment "to deal with the issue sensitively so that it can be brought to an appropriate and fair conclusion for all the women affected by it".

Dr Reilly said the Government’s actions “must bring closure to the women concerned, who have been harmed and who we cannot give back their lives, but we can be sure that our actions make sure the resources we have go to them and not elsewhere”.

Mr Ó Caoláin quoted one of the women Rita McCann who said no one in the hospital made any attempt to tell her about the operation. “I was taken in and abused”, the Cavan-Monaghan TD quoted her as saying. He said the Government’s acceptance of the Bill would be a “step towards justice and truth for the survivors of the barbaric act of symphysiotomy”.