Miriam Lord: Vicky Phelan wanted no tributes but they came, heartfelt and sincere, from all sides

There’s Vicky Phelan, still making things awkward for them.

This was certainly a tricky one for the politicians. On the one hand, she wanted no speechifying from them after her death. On the other, they are incapable of saying nothing. How would they cope?

They all knew what Vicky expressly wanted from them after her death: no speechifying or eulogising. No grand gestures. No high-flown tributes. No more broken promises.

None of the usual raiméis.

Simon Harris: The five career moves that led him to the taoiseach’s office

---

‘Samia is in Rafah. She says there’s thousands of kids living in tents. They’re all starving and freezing’

---

Mansplainers are in full ‘listen ladies!’ voice, telling us we’re reading it all wrong as referendum nears

---

Beaumont Hospital sued over alleged misreporting of smear sample for nurse who later died

---

She was so adamant about this that she wrote her wishes down two years ago in an uncompromising “I don’t want” list. That list was remembered and reproduced again and again in the hours after Monday’s sad announcement.

When the Dáil reconvened on Tuesday, those fervent wishes hung heavy in the Dáil chamber.

“I don’t want your apologies.

I don’t want your tributes.

I don’t want your aide de camp at my funeral.

I don’t want your accolades or your broken promises.

I want action.

I want change.

I want accountability.”

In her own words: A tribute to Vicky Phelan

Listen | 58:46

CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan died this week, at the age of 48. Over the years, Vicky has joined us on a number of occasions as a guest on the podcast, sharing her story and her journey through treatment. Today we celebrate the life of an extraordinary Limerick woman who fought for justice for so many.

Leas-Cheann Comhairle Catherine Connolly was very much aware of them when she opened proceedings.

“Today we remember Vicky Phelan, who has passed away, and all the other women who have lost their lives as a result of the failures and the mistakes made in the cervical screening services. I am very conscious of the words of Vicky Phelan and what she sought from the system” she told the House while acknowledging that the party leaders were anxious to speak.

Ms Connolly cautioned them to be “mindful” of Vicky’s request.

The Taoiseach rose to speak. He had a script.

“You are correct. Vicky Phelan did not want eulogy or tribute. She did not want us making speeches about her in this House ...”

In other circumstances, the obvious reaction to Micheál Martin’s opener would have been “Shut up and sit down, so!”

But not this time. He was speaking because of Vicky’s “extraordinary impact” on the country and her contribution to public life and debate.

“I do believe it’s right and proper that we mark and mourn her passing.”

And he did come with tributes and accolades for a woman whose bravery, integrity and generosity of spirit “opened the door to truth for hundreds of other women, empowered a generation of people to demand better and forced a fundamental re-evaluation of the nation’s crucially important CervicalCheck programme”.

Not only did she live with cancer but she also battled “the system that failed her as so many others, so dismally”.

It is always a little jarring to hear a Government leader or a senior Minister lauding individual members of the public for standing up and fighting “the system” when they are the people best placed and empowered to fix it. But on this occasion, the Taoiseach was entitled to a pass. His words were heartfelt and sincere and when he extended his deepest sympathies to Vicky’s husband Jim, children Amelia and Darragh and parents John and Gaby, he spoke for the nation.

He also said everything which had to be said in just 2½ minutes. There were no attempts at political point-scoring.

"She spoke truth to power" - remembering Vicky Phelan

Listen | 23:25

Yesterday we learned of the death of Vicky Phelan, the outspoken campaigner whose own mishandled case led to reform of the cervical cancer detection system and a national conversation about the rights of patients in the health system. Simon Carswell and Jen Hogan talk to Aideen Finnegan about Vicky's story, her formidable legacy and her love for her family. Vicky Phelan is survived by husband Jim and her two children Amelia and Darragh.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he met Vicky Phelan on a number of occasions. “She probably was one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met.”

He also put on the record that without her efforts “the cervical cancer non-disclosure scandal” would never have come to light and he listed the improvements which have already been implemented as a result of her advocacy.

“I know that work must continue and that is far from complete,” he added before restating the State apology he gave in 2019 to the women and their loved ones hurt by the failures in the cervical cancer screening system.

The burden should never have fallen on Vicky to stand up for women and for what is right, said Minister for Arts and Tourism Catherine Martin. Women should never feel voiceless or invisible, and through her “steadfast and unwavering commitment to the truth” the campaigner did an immense service to the women of Ireland.

“I want to say thank you.”

The deputy leader of the Green Party was followed by four more female political leaders – Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, Labour’s Ivana Bacik, Róisín Shortall of the Social Democrats and Marian Harkin of the Independent Group.

“Ireland has lost one of its brightest stars in the firmament of noble women,” declared Mary Lou.

“Vicky bravely raised her voice. She decided to fight a system that had failed her” and her activism set off a chain reaction that changed Irish society for the better for so many Irish women, said Ivana.

Róisín said Vicky would not accept the status quo or “condescending paternalism that women too often experience in the health service” when she knew reform was possible so she persevered until the end. “Her courage was truly awe-inspiring.”

The words of this “strong, warm, beautiful and tenacious” campaigner opened the door for other women “to speak up and speak out about how certain women’s health issues have been hidden – as if shameful; and neglected as if they were not important” noted Marian.

Contributions too from Gino Kenny of People Before Profit: “We took Vicky to our collective hearts and now our hearts are all broken”.

Denis Naughten from the Regional Independents said she was “a unique individual who will leave a lasting impact”. Mattie McGrath on behalf of the Rural Independents said: “Her spirit was untameable and her loss is immeasurable.”

There were very few barbs directed at the Government on an occasion of rare unanimity in the House. Vicky Phelan had called for action and change and the speakers from all sides agreed that this had to happen. Opposition comments were uncommonly constructive.

[ Scally report on cervical screening puts many previous reports to shame ]

There was no major pushback from the Taoiseach on calls for the recommendations from the Scally report to be implemented in full, the end of outsourcing and return of all screening facilities to Ireland and the speedy passage of the Patient Safety Bill which will enshrine open disclosure and duty of candour into law.

After a minute’s silence in the chamber, questioning turned more political during Leaders’ Questions with pressure on the Taoiseach to get the patient safety legislation done before Christmas.

“I am at the mercy of the House,” he responded. If everyone could agree on amendments and depending upon the pace of recruitment and notwithstanding some misgivings from the medics on open disclosure ...

Ominously, despite all the best stated intentions, delivering for Vicky may be easier said than done.