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

Sorry, I do not wish to be unfair but in the context of that remark I must point out that representatives of Beaumont Hospital are not here and we have no function regarding the hospital. Our remit is national health policy and that is the framework within which we are discussing this issue. Even though Mr. Lawless is expressing a personal opinion, he may be making a defamatory statement and I must alert him to the fact that privilege does not allow him to do that. I ask Mr. Lawless to be cautious because he is identifying people who are not here to defend themselves.