Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am concerned about the ramifications of what the Taoiseach has said. As I stated, he indicated last year that no excuse should be offered to defend what happened as there is no defence for it. I agree and I want to help the Taoiseach if I can. I do not want the Government or the Tánaiste to hide behind a legal wall in so far as this report is concerned. I have quoted one section of the report which states that families of patients in nursing homes that scored poorly in the tendering process for high dependency or intermediate care beds should be informed of this as a matter of urgency. In that case, there is no legal wall which it is necessary to hide behind. Surely informing the families of patients in nursing homes with a poor standard of care, as identified in the HSE visit which followed the tendering process, should have no ramifications. Does any Member of the House want to have a relative or family member in a nursing home which has been officially determined as having a poor level of service to remain in that place for one day longer?

The Taoiseach does not need to state that there are legal ramifications or that matters must be brought before the Cabinet. I am bringing to the attention of the Taoiseach, as the head of Government, that the words I quoted are in the report, as Deputy O'Dowd has been informed. I ask him to see to it that the families of patients in nursing homes which have been identified as providing a poor level of service are informed forthwith of that fact. The Government should not attempt to let this matter drift behind legal ramifications before the report might or might not be published. The truth is essential.

It is the Taoiseach's duty to govern, lead and make decisions, and this is one decision I want him to make this morning in the interests of the elderly and vulnerable residents of nursing homes which the HSE has identified in its study as providing an inferior level of service. Surely there is no legal basis for not taking action immediately.

See this speech in context