A terminally ill West Kerry woman is pleading for mediation talks to begin in her case against the HSE and others over the alleged misreading of cervical smears.
Legal representatives of Joan Lucey from Cooleen, Dingle, were in the High Court yesterday, as part of an action being taken against the HSE and two laboratories.
The Irish Independent reports that the court heard that the 73-year-old, a retired nurse, has terminal cervical cancer and has only weeks to live.
The paper reports that Joan Lucey's representatives told the High Court that the retired nurse is in the last weeks of her life and is inviting the parties to mediation talks.
She is suing in relation to the alleged misreading or misinterpretation or misreporting of cervical smears taken in February and August 2011.
It's alleged that Mrs Lucey was denied the opportunity to receive and benefit from timely curative treatment and her disease was allegedly allowed to develop unhindered.
The claims are denied by the HSE and the two labs, Texas-based Clinical Pathology Laboratories Incorporated and Dublin-based MedLab Pathology Ltd.
Clinical Pathology Labs has also joined consultant obstetrician Mary McCaffery of the Scotia Clinic, Tralee as a third party.
Liam Reidy, senior counsel, said the labs are baulking at the request for talks, until a third-party issue is resolved.
He said his client is on her deathbed.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross urged sides to enter into mediation, however, he said he wouldn't force the issue.
The case is due to go ahead on February 26th in the High Court.
