Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Without dispensing with gratitude for the presentation today, which is obviously very welcome, I must ask two questions, one of which concerns the implementation team that has been set up arising from the report of HIQA, the HSE and the coroner on Galway University Hospital. I refer to Mr. Ian Carter's heading of the team. What is the full remit of the team? Who is on the team and how many are there? What is the geographical spread of membership? What is the timescale for implementing the remit of the team? Who is actually monitoring the team?

At the risk of sounding sarcastic, I ask, in light of the outcome and particularly Mr. Crowley's statement of a number of weeks ago that the HSE does not measure quality well, that the Minister reconsider reinstating the ISQSH’s funding, which allows for the measurement of equality exceptionally well on behalf of patients. I ask that the Minister give the body permission to carry out the patient quality survey it wanted to do on maternity services last year but which was refused.

On foot of an answer to a parliamentary question I received last night, let me refer to the terminal illness process. It desperately needs to be examined. The definition I received last night of a terminal illness really grates and needs to be examined. Could we consider the six-month process or the reapplication process since we are talking about people in the very late stages of their lives? We should be considering how to make the process as enjoyable as possible to allow people to have dignity at that stage of their lives.