THE DEPARTMENT OF Health has said the Minister intends to bring a proposal to government before this year’s summer break to ensure the women excluded from the Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme on age grounds can be compensated.

In a statement this afternoon, the Department of Health confirmed it has been engaged in a review to identify “the most appropriate mechanism” for the women affected by the brutal practices of disgraced surgeon Michael Neary at the Drogheda hospital.

The Department said it has continues to seek the advice of the Attorney General and the process to bring the matter to a “satisfactory, legally sound conclusion as quickly as possible” is ongoing.

“It is the Minister’s intention to bring a proposal to Government on the matter before the summer recess.”

Earlier today, the 35 victims who underwent unnecessary procedures accused the coalition on reneging on promises made in the Programme for Government.

“We just want to get on with our lives…see closure,” said Mary Packenham, who suffered at the hands of Neary. “It is constantly in the back of our minds so we can’t get on with our lives.”

The women were excluded from the initial redress scheme on technicalities following Judge Maureen Harding Clark’s 2004 deliberations. That system referred only to two narrow groups, one of which excluded all women over the age of 40. It compensated about 200 patients at a cost of more than €20 million.

Neary victims ‘in limbo’ as they wait for government ‘to do the right thing’