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

My questions and remarks are directed at Mr. O'Brien.

However, I would like it to be noted that they apply to everyone in a senior management position in the HSE and it is a shared and collective responsibility.

To what specific references, in what one is told is a largely unaltered HIQA report on Portlaoise hospital did Mr. O'Brien object? Does he still hold to those objections? He felt strongly enough to issue the threat of legal action on the presentation of the draft report. He is on record as stating here last week, as did the Minister for Health, that he accepts the recommendations contained in the report. However, will Mr. O'Brien refer members to the sections of the report he felt so strongly about that, as I have stated, he issued the threat of legal action to suppress that report? Will Mr. O'Brien also confirm this is not the first time that he or the HSE have endeavoured to suppress the detail in respect of the Portlaoise babies scandal? Is it not the case that Mr. O'Brien or the HSE sought to suppress the "Prime Time" programme broadcast on 31 January 2014? Is it not the case that it was when, as with HIQA, RTE showed stoicism and refused to buckle under threat of legal action to close down the programme and proceeded with it that Mr. O'Brien then withdrew his threat? Was it not on the back of that stance by RTE, in light of the fact that the programme was going to proceed, that the HSE issued an apology to the parents concerned just before the broadcasting of the programme?

Of the evidence presented to the joint committee this morning, one of the areas of most concern for me was that it was reported to members that two senior post-holders of the HSE met Mark and Róisín Molloy in October 2013. The proposal was to discuss the implementation of the 43 recommendations in the report concerning the tragic loss of their young son, Mark. However, members were advised they were told that the two senior figures were only there to listen, which does not equate in my mind or in theirs or in that of any other member of the joint committee who heard their contribution this morning with discussion in any shape or form. I ask Mr. O'Brien to comment on that.