Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not want this debate to go around in circles. Obviously a sincere apology is better. The reason that a parent pursues the matter is due to an absence of an apology. If a child apologised, then there would be no need for him or her to be reprimanded. It is only by training and re-educating someone that one gets a system of a sincere apology.

To put this in context, I am referring to an open disclosure meeting where it has been acknowledged that something has gone wrong. The Bill, as currently drafted, works on the premise that something has gone wrong and the health service provider only has to say that it has hurt someone, or nearly hurt him or her, and this is how we did it but there is no obligation to apologise. A civilised society would say, "We are really sorry about that, we have put in place these precautions, thanks very much for engaging with us and your honesty has helped us make sure that a certain thing will not happen to anyone else." That is where we will ultimately go.