Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I shall be brief as previous speakers have covered most of the subjects and I will mention two points.

Like others, this meeting is very interesting for someone like myself who had no knowledge of neurosurgery or services until the past year and half. I am disadvantaged in terms of knowledge of the subject but Professor Hardiman explained the issue very well in her final contribution. The strong theme that ran through the presentations, not only by the four contributors but from all of us on this side of the House, was that we want a better service.

As previous speakers have said, we can talk to the wall all day but nothing will happen if we cannot make sense of the questions raised. However, that is not the fault of the witnesses because the HSE and HIQA have a responsibility in this matter.

Apart from better service, all of us want accountability because it is a cardinal point. If one does not have accountability then one does not have anything. Taxpayers should not have to pay for a service that is devoid of a system of accountability and information on how it is carried out or performed. With all due respect to the medical profession, doctors are not above the law and accountability which is the way it should be in a caring society.

Deputy Ó Caoláin put the issue perfectly right and I agree with him. I may not use the blunt language used by Mr. Lawless in his interesting contribution. I read all of his informative contribution. I have used worse language than Mr. Lawless used but I would not put it in print but he had the right to do so. However, I agree with Deputy Ó Caoláin that the matter should be forwarded to the HSE. The recommendations made by Mr. Lawless are flawless. Perhaps they are flawed but I am not a medic. He is perfectly correct that his recommendations should be sent to the HSE and that we should know all of the information.