Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Dr. Tony Holohan, Ms Kathleen MacLellan, Ms Laverne McGuinness, Mr. Ian Carter and Mr. David Walsh for their attendance. In particular, I compliment Dr. Holohan on his report and the level of detail contained in it and the prompt manner in which it was produced. As a committee, we will return to the issue of maternity services later in our work programme. On behalf of the committee, I sympathise with and apologise to the families on the loss of their loved ones. It was a dark period in the health service which I hope will never be revisited by any family. I hope the culture of communication for which we all strive will be more humane and that no person or family will ever have to undergo what happened to the families in this case. I join the Minister in thanking Dr. Tracey Cooper for her work and congratulate her on her new post. We received a communication yesterday that she was leaving.