Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Renua Ireland) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and members. I do not often beg indulgence but I appreciate it. I am anxious to ask one or two questions of Mr. O'Brien. We were told today by the parents of two babies who died in Portlaoise that the HSE management is clearly incapable and cannot be trusted. They told us that information was deliberately suppressed, as were known red flags. The story goes on and on and it is apparent from the contents of the HIQA report and the evidence this morning that there are huge failings at all levels - national, regional and local. Ms Amy Delahunt also told us this morning that the director general of the HSE must stop misinforming the public that these events were before his time with the HSE.

A number of instances of correspondence were drawn to our attention, which I want to raise directly with Mr. O'Brien. First is a letter of 26 October 2012 in which Mr. O'Brien wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Molloy saying, "I am disappointed to learn from your letter that you were unable to get an adequate response previously but I can assure you that Dr. Philip Crowley will actively deal with this matter." On 25 November 2012 the Molloy family, Mark and Róisín, wrote to you in your capacity as director general of the HSE, the head of the organisation. They said, "We cannot begin to put into words just how frustrated, appalled, angered and upset we are". In a lengthy piece of correspondence, they went on to say:

We are not the only family whose baby has died in worrisome circumstances in the hospital in recent years, yet there seems to be a blatant ignoring of this hospital's obligations in relation to having these deaths investigated. What is even more concerning is to learn that, despite these deaths and birth injuries to other children, this hospital has never been audited.

The Molloy family implored you, they appealed to you, as director general of the HSE to act to ensure that no other family would suffer the way they had at the hands of the HSE. Thanks to their assiduous work and through their resourcefulness we have also been made aware that a meeting took place on 6 December 2012 between Mr. O'Brien and Dr. Philip Crowley at which there were two agenda items.