Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Chairman should not say that. He is raising expectations. What happened in Portlaoise hospital is a reflection of very bad management. Mr. O'Brien referred to compassion seven times in his opening statement. He spoke about not doing unto others anything that one would not like done to oneself. However, for the families that were here this morning, there was no compassion. One woman reflected on the lack of compassion she had experienced following the loss of her baby, recounting that a small, simple act of humanity would have provided much needed comfort during that moment. When one has to bury a loved one, it should be all about compassion and humanity in a hospital. If that is not there, then the whole basis of the health service is lost completely.

Page 8 of the executive summary and page 21 of the main HIQA report reads as follows: "However, it is apparent that despite overwhelming evidence to indicate that the local management team at Portlaoise Hospital was struggling to deliver the service, there is no evidence to show that regional HSE managers took effective control of the situation at that time." That is the key issue. Why did nobody call in the fire brigade when it was known that there was a problem? The situation could have been approached in a totally different way.

I was very happy to hear Dr. O'Reilly speak about the link between the Coombe and Portlaoise hospitals. Has that happened yet?

I am listening, but I am hearing different accounts of it. If it has not happened, why has it not happened? When will it happen? Something needs to happen in the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise. As Dr. O'Reilly said, steps have been taken to ensure that a proper service is being provided.

I read this report right through. It was the most chilling report I have ever read. Some parts of the report were a nightmare to read. Mr. Ollie Kelly finished his contribution this morning by saying it was unforgivable what happened to his beautiful Mary Kate.

If anything is to come out of this meeting for the families who are here, it is the need to put in place a healing process for them and everybody else who was affected by what happened in this hospital. If that does not happen, I do not think the HSE will ever manage the hospitals it runs. There is healing when people sit down and listen to each other but there must be compassion and humility. I am speaking from recent experience of burying a family member. When we were around the bed of the person last week, it was all about compassion and humility. If we cannot have that in a hospital situation, we might as well forget about it.