Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children

Áras Attracta: HSE

7:30 pm

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

The second half of the meeting is on the response from the HSE to the issues raised by the RTE investigations unit broadcast on the Mayo care centre. I apologise to Mr. Healy, Mr. O'Brien, Ms Meany and Dr. Crowley for the lateness of the start to the meeting. Parliamentary democracy means that votes take place and we must attend them. I hope we have not inconvenienced the witnesses too much. On behalf of the committee, I note our appreciation that they have taken the time to be here tonight.

I welcome formally to the meeting Mr. Tony O'Brien, director general of the HSE, Mr. Pat Healy, HSE director of social care, Ms Marion Meany, and Dr. Philip Crowley, all of whom are very welcome. The purpose of the meeting is to receive a response from the witnesses to the programme on RTE on 8 December entitled "Inside Bungalow 3". The programme included very serious allegations of abuse and mistreatment of residents in a specific care setting. Accordingly, the committee at its meeting last Thursday asked as a first step that we would have this meeting tonight. We will focus on some of the broader issues regarding congregated settings, residential care settings and the treatment of people with intellectual disability. The HIQA report on Redwood has also been published and tonight's meeting is an opportune one. I ask Mr. Tony O'Brien to make his opening remarks.

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