Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday the Minister replied to my parliamentary question on the requirement to advise a patient where an adverse incident occurred. We engaged recently with the Medical Protection Society, the State Claims Agency and others and very strongly challenged the "deny and defend" culture. When the Minister is preparing the legislation which he intends to do, I recommend that candour needs not only to be a requirement of the professional front-line service provider but those who are indemnifying them must also be brought into the loop, otherwise there will be a tug of war in terms of conflicting advice. It is clear that they are conscious and aware of a variety of incidents but in spite of their denial, I am of the view that their counsel has been to say nothing. That has to stop.