A number of people in the health service need to take responsibility for the crisis in cancer services in Portlaoise, Minister for Social Affairs Martin Cullen said today.
Mr Cullen was defending the handling of the crisis by his colleague, Minister for Health Mary Harney, and said she could not be expected to take personal responsibility for every clinical decision.
Minister for Health Mary Harney answers questions earlier this month on the Portlaoise hospital crisis
Up to 70 women are due to attend a special breast clinic in Portlaoise today as part of a clinical review of cases handled by the Midland General Hospital. It is understood about 30 women had attended by this evening.
Speaking on RTÉ radio's Saturday Viewprogramme, Mr Cullen said the Minister could not be personally responsible for every clinical decision made on a daily basis in the health service.
"There are a number of people who have serious responsibilities within the health service and they need to step up to the plate," he said.
Mr Cullen said the structure of the HSE needs to be re-examined.
He said issues relating to reporting, communicating and the role of the Department of Health need to be looked at.
The Minister also said "nobody" had taken more responsibility for the issue than Mary Harney and that removing her from her position would be a "wrong and catastrophic" decision.
"Ranting and raving and trying to pillory Mary Harney is the absolutely wrong approach," he said.
Mr Cullen said a "collective" approach was the only way to resolve the crisis and to build the kind of health service that was wanted.
Fine Gael TD for Laois-Offaly Olwyn Enright said on the same programme that Mr Cullen was advocating a "systems-based" solution rather than a "patient-based" solution.
She said the Health Service Executive had "no system of accountability" and that neither did the Government.
Some 97 women were contacted yesterday to offer them a clinic appointment at the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise today with visiting consultant breast surgeons from Dublin. The HSE said earlier that 63 of those women had confirmed their attendance. Some 364 women were told they will not require follow-up checks after a review of ultrasounds and case notes.
Professor Arnie Hill, consultant breast surgeon at Beaumont Hospital, along with Mike Allen and Enda McDermott, will hold the special breast cancer clinic at the privately owned Cuisle Cancer Therapy and Healing Centre in Portlaoise.
Ms Harney said the consultants will be available for as long as necessary and arrangements for further evaluation are in place if needed.
A helpline continues to operate at the hospital from 9pm to 5pm. The number is 1800 252 041.
Dr Ann O'Doherty, head of a review team set up to reassess thousands of mammograms, has offered to carry out extra checks at St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, on Monday afternoon and also on Tuesday.
Ms Harney also ordered officials in the Department to meet Health Service Executive management today and tomorrow to monitor progress.
More than 3,000 mammograms had to be re-checked after concerns were raised about their accuracy. More than 500 women who only underwent ultrasounds are also having their clinical notes reassessed.
The HSE has confirmed that nine women wrongly given the all-clear now have breast cancer.
Fine Gael and the Labour Party have both put down motions of no confidence in the Minister for Health to be debated in the Dáil next week.