Positive news today for the 35 "Neary Women"

I am delighted today to hear the announcement that applications are now being invited from the women who were excluded from the original Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme.

I have met with many of these ladies since entering the Seanad and subsequently campaigned to extend the redress scheme to include these women, many of whom were excluded simply because they were over the age of forty. These women suffered unnecessary hysterectomies or had unwanted removal of one or both ovaries and suffered further as they were excluded from the original redress scheme on age grounds.

The plight of these 35 Neary women and the survivors of symphysiotomy have been at the core of my work in recent years. I am delighted with today's announcement and I hope that good news for the survivors of symphysiotomy will now follow quickly. To that end I am again calling on Minister Reilly to announce the appointment of the judge and the publication of the Walsh report in the coming weeks. Time is not on the side of these women and every day is a day too long in my opinion.

I welcome the announcement that the applications are now open for these ladies and that the injustice meted out to them will now be addressed. The applications will remain open until 5pm on Wednesday 11 December. Further information may be obtained by contacting the State Claims Agency on 0123784370 or by email at lourdespaymentscheme@ntma.ie.