I return to the issue of CervicalCheck and the ex gratia payment scheme announced earlier this year, applications for which opened in May. I am hearing from some members of the 221+ group that they are being met with a wall of silence in terms of how this will play out. They have been told that it could be the end of the year before they find out the amount of the payment but also that there could be a further delay before that payment is made. What is needed is information to be given to the 221+ group. Some of its members are sick people. Some of the women have died and it relates to their families. There will be a tribunal and we await the legislation for that but can the Taoiseach clear the air in terms of how exactly the ex gratia scheme will work because I am being told there is a wall of silence around it?

I cannot but I will undertake to come back to the Deputy with some more information. On the proposal for the ex gratia scheme, which is a payment given with respect to the non-disclosure approved by Cabinet some time ago, a judge - I think it is Judge Ó Caoimh - has been appointed and has a team supporting him. I will make inquiries but from the Government side all the work is done and the resources are in place. If there is a delay in making awards I will have it examined to see why that is the case. It has not come back to us in terms of anything we can do to speed that up but I will check it out.