TDs have stood for a minute’s silence in honour of the late Ruth Morrissey.
The heroic cervical cancer screening campaigner died tragically on Sunday after losing her own battle with cancer.
Ms Morrissey was one of the leading figures in the fight to gain recognition for the wrongdoings against at least 220 women who were misdiagnosed in the CervicalCheck scandal.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin led the tributes and he once again apologised to Ms Morrissey and all the victims of the scandal.
This was the second State apology, after former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, apologised in the Dáil last year.
But Mr Martin has promised that this time things will be different.
He said that there will be “access to the supports they need and the compensation they deserve.”
Mr Martin said: ”I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing on Sunday of Ruth Morrissey….I know her family were truly devastated.”
The Taoiseach added: “She fought a long battle with her illness, and also fought her own battle to be vindicated in the courts.
“On behalf of the State, I would like to again to sincerely apologise to Ruth, to her family and to all the families for the litany of failures…. Ruth gave voice to the women who suffered in silence.”
Labour leader, Alan Kelly, has been the leading politician campaigning for the rights of Ruth and others caught up in the horrible scandal.
He told the Dáil: “Ruth Morrissey is a national hero.
“She fought the State not once, but twice.
“Ruth Morrissey spent 36 days in the High Court terminally ill.
“She won.”
Other leaders in the House paid tribute to Ms Morrissey too, with Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, saying: “The State grievously failed Ruth Morrissey.”
