Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations, and particularly Ms Courtney for her very personal presentation. There are cases that should not be defended, which put families through years of unnecessary stress when they should be at home, caring for and spending time with the loved ones who have been at the centre of all of this. Ms Courtney stated that had the admission of liability been given, the cost of pursuing the legal case would not have been incurred. She also mentioned that her husband inherited a very small farm and should they have lost the case, they would have lost that farm. It is ridiculous that there has never been legal aid in this type of case in Ireland. Why not, particularly in this kind of case?

Ms Courtney said she had to travel to the UK to have her daughter examined because no Irish doctors would support this case. Is this normal practice? Do Irish doctors just not get involved in these cases? That is disgraceful. The defendants make a settlement at the eleventh hour and then there is no admission of liability and no apology. Everybody can see that if they make a settlement, they are wrong. They should have the decency to at least accept liability and apologise.