There is hardly a person in this State who has not at one stage or another witnessed politicians in this Chamber speak about ill-treatment, persecution and disregard for women in Ireland. Many like to think that the ill-treatment and disregard of women is a historic issue. However, unfortunately it is not. Nowhere are these injustices and this ill-treatment more acute than in the provision of health care services. Last night, RTÉ's "Prime Time" programme aired a feature on women suffering from the side effects of transvaginal mesh implants. I commend Janet Roche and Lesley-Anne Stephens who participated in the programme and bravely shared their stories.

I have been raising the issue with the Minister for Health since last October. I, along with mesh victims and their representatives, have spent months trying to get information on the issue. In particular, I wish to highlight the work of Margaret Byrne of Mesh Survivors Ireland, solicitor Melanie Power, who has been representing a number of these women, journalists such as Michelle Hennessy who have reported on this continuously, as well as my colleagues Órlaithí Flynn and Caoimhe Archibald, who have been to the forefront in this campaign in the North.

Transvaginal mesh implants have been widely used as a simple less invasive alternative to other more traditional surgical approaches to treat urinary incontinence and prolapse conditions that commonly occur after childbirth. However, many women have now come forward, and more come forward all the time, to report the side effects of the use of these implants. They have reported chronic and debilitating pain, with some being left unable to walk, drive or have any sort of a sex life. The use of transvaginal mesh devices and their long-term side effects for some women have recently come to prominence across many countries, not least England, Scotland, America, Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand and Australia have banned the use of the product, deeming it too risky for women. Closer to home, Britain's health watchdog has recommended restricting the use of vaginal mesh implants.

These women have marched on the Dáil today and are protesting outside as we speak. They will be in the AV room at 2 p.m. today if Deputies want to hear about this first-hand. I have four questions on behalf of these women. Will the Government ensure that there is recognition of the complications of mesh products and stop fighting these women on this issue and that there is a centralised report for treatment for these women by the HSE? Will it ensure that the HSE obtains a translabial scanner? This machine, which is used to detect mesh implants, is not currently available in the State. Will the Government commit to a retrospective audit of the number of women who have been implanted with a mesh device? Finally, given the available international evidence that the risks which accompany their use is too high, will the Government move to ban or limit the use of these mesh products in women? These four crucial measures are necessary to protect women's health. Will the Taoiseach grasp this opportunity and ensure that the suffering of these women is acknowledged and that women's health is protected?

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. My sympathy and concern goes to any patient suffering complications as a result of an operation or procedure they have had. I wish to put that on the record. I did not see the TV programme last night although I read some things about the issue in the newspapers in recent times. However, I am not an expert on it and I was not aware the Deputy was going to raise the issue today. Therefore, I am not fully briefed on it.

As always, anything the Government does will have to be guided by the best clinical and medical advice from obstetricians and gynaecologists who are experts in this field. While I am a qualified medical doctor, I am not an expert in this field and I would not like to make pronouncements about these issues as a doctor or a politician without the best advice from those who are educated and specialist in the area. It is not this House or Government that decides which medical devices are legal. That is a function of the Health Products Regulatory Authority, and should be so.

When I raised this issue with the Minister for Health, he advised me that he had only become aware of it when he saw reports in the media. It struck me as odd that his officials were not keeping him briefed on it given that there is a large number of multi-party actions in this respect under way in other jurisdictions. The Taoiseach has an opportunity, which I urge him to take, to acknowledge the suffering of these women and to give a message to the HSE that international evidence will be used. As a medical professional, the Taoiseach knows that an evidence-based approach is the way to go. There is a wealth of international evidence. I asked the Taoiseach four specific questions and I would be grateful for an individualised response, either here or in writing following the debate.

As I said, I was not aware this issue would be raised and I cannot answer for the Minister for Health directly. However, I will ask for replies to be provided to the Deputy on each of the four items she raised. If there are legal cases under way, the Deputy will appreciate that those cases are in the courts and, therefore, need to be heard in the courts and not adjudicated on here.

I was very clear that those cases were outside of this jurisdiction.

I absolutely expect that the HSE and the Department of Health will consider this matter based on evidence and not just evidence from this State. As is the norm in any kind of medical issue, one examines peer-reviewed international evidence as well as domestic evidence and take them together. In health care, one will always find evidence going one way and then evidence going the other way. It is, therefore, necessary to take all the evidence together to see which of it is peer-reviewed and strongest and make a judgment based on that. Any response from the Government, the HSE and the Department of Health will be compassionate and understanding and respectful of the pain and suffering of anyone who is enduring complications as a result of an operation. Further, any actions taken by Government will have to be guided by best clinical advice from the experts in the field and it will have to be evidence based.