A fresh scandal has rocked the creaking health service after the family of a 53-year-old woman who died of breast cancer earlier this year revealed she had been given the all-clear three times by doctors.

Health Minister Mary Harney was accused of presiding over a shambles of a health service as outrage swept the nation over the death of 53-year-old Ann Moriarty.

Opposition politicians and Moriarty's family have demanded an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death in April this year.

Moriarty and her husband, Karl Henry, both worked for the Revenue Commissioners and relocated with their son Ciaran two years ago to Co. Clare from Dublin. She continued to work near their home in Ennis and he traveled daily to his new office 20 miles away in Limerick.

Before they left Dublin she had been treated for breast cancer and had undergone a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy in St. James's Hospital in 2005. She remained in remission from the cancer for two years.

In April 2007 a routine check in St. James's found no sign of the disease. In June last year Moriarty attended Ennis General Hospital with a fever but was given the all-clear.

When her symptoms persisted, she returned to the hospital two months later for another X-ray. For the third time, she was told she was fine and released with a prescription of Motilium, a medicine for an upset stomach.

Blood test results showing elevated tumor markers were filed away without ever being acted upon. As she was still clearly ill, her family doctor referred her to the Galway Clinic.

It was there she learned that the cancer was back. It had spread to her brain and other vital organs and was now terminal.

While the news devastated the family, Moriarty fought on bravely but after six months in hospice care she passed away on April 25.

Last week her family went public with her case and called for an independent investigation into her treatment at both Ennis General and St. James hospitals.

Her husband said in interviews on RTE television and in national newspapers, "I still have not grieved properly because I have to find out the truth of what happened. Ann's concern was always for others and I know she would want me to ensure nobody else was misdiagnosed. It would be her wish.

"I have a responsibility to ensure that anyone who may be the victim of error asks for a recheck, but, so far, the attitude I have encountered from the Health Service Executive (HSE) has been cold and uncaring."

He added, "The nightmare the family had to endure over the past year defies description. Our family in one cruel stroke has been destroyed.

"Our family had wished to stay anonymous but in light of the HSE's steadfast refusal to address our requests, we now find it imperative that Ann's shocking experiences be publicized."

Henry revealed that he has spent nearly a year looking for his wife's mammogram - a breast X-ray - that was taken in April last year at St James Hospital. He said that for months he was dismissed by the hospital and then recently he was told the X-ray was missing.

He has also queried the thoroughness of the April 2007 examination.

St. James is due to be a center of excellence under the HSE's new strategy aimed at streamlining the treatment of cancer throughout the country.

The hospital has admitted misplacing the vital mammogram. A spokesperson said, "We appreciate that locating the mammogram is very important to Mr. Henry. We have apologized to Mr. Henry and assured him that we have undertaken a very thorough search and will continue to make every effort to locate the mammogram. We have improved our tracking systems to avoid a reoccurrence of such an incident."

The bungling at the second hospital at the center of the scandal, Ennis General, was underlined by the family's Fine Gael TD (member of parliament) in Co. Clare, Pat Breen.

"The circumstances of the death of Ann Moriarty just months after being given the all clear from cancer at Ennis General Hospital are chilling to the core," Breen said.

"Reports from Ann's husband that his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer at Galway after being discharged from Ennis, where she had various tests and X-rays, will undoubtedly be causing deep concern and anxiety to all who have been treated at Ennis in the past."

Breen said it is imperative that a full independent investigation, similar to that which was carried out following the revelation of misdiagnosis in the Rebecca O'Malley case, is undertaken without delay.

Cancer survivor O'Malley, from Co. Tipperary, had her breast cancer diagnosis delayed by 14 months after a laboratory error at Cork University Hospital in 2005. She is now an advocate for better patient care and she said of Moriarty's tragedy, "It was a complete meltdown of safety systems."