Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives of the Health Information and Quality Authority for their presentation and report. Is HIQA legally obliged to provide a draft report or is this part of its due process procedure? Were draft reports presented in all previous cases?

Politicians are frequently accused of not getting the right answers because they do not ask the right questions. For the purposes of clarity, can we be absolutely certain that no substantial change has been made to the report? Is documentation available showing what changes were made?

The background to this issue is a significant reduction in funding and staffing in the health service in recent years. The health budget has been reduced by approximately €4 billion, while staff numbers have declined by approximately 12,000 as a result of the moratorium on recruitment. HIQA's report states the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, did not have the proper governance procedures, resources or equipment in place to operate at this level. The budgets of many other hospitals have been reduced by up to 25%. Is there a link between recent budget cuts and the events that occurred in the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise?

The report is shocking and in reading it one feels all sorts of emotion, from sadness and disappointment to frustration and anger. Failure and dysfunction occurred at many levels. The report begs the question as to whether the Health Service Executive is fit for purpose and capable of running a health service properly. Perhaps the delegates might a view on that issue.

Has the post of director of midwifery services been introduced in the other 19 maternity units?

The first recommendation relates to the establishment of an independent patient advocacy body. I fundamentally agree with Deputy Regina Doherty on this issue. How does one define "independent" in this regard? In recent years I have encountered cases where it transpired that independent patient advocates were fully funded by the HSE and certainly could not be described as independent. This scenario must not be repeated. If there is an independent patient advocacy organisation, it must be truly independent and not be linked in any way with the HSE.

On the recommendation for a national maternity strategy, is HIQA involved in discussions on this matter and does it have a preferred outcome?

I understand from the comments of the delegates that the recommendations made in this and previous HIQA reports cannot be enforced by HIQA or any other body. Is that the case and, if so, what actions would HIQA like to take to ensure the recommendations are implemented?