David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is very difficult for this committee to talk about any of these issues. Our job is to examine systems, practices and procedures and costs to the State. I am conscious that the most important issue is the cost to the women involved, of which we are all aware and conscious. We have a specific role in that regard. It might seem cold to people listening, but we can and have to examine where there might have been systems failures, process failures and procedural failures and how they could have cost the State money. The first obvious one is that the system was outsourced, it seems against advice. That outsourcing could potentially have cost the State money. If there is a redress scheme, I imagine there will be a cost to the State. A circular was issued to general practitioners, GPs. We do not know who made the decision to issue it. That seems to have been a failure that could cost the State money. To say the very least, there were certainly breakdowns in communication. There are allegations of a cover-up made by the solicitor of the lady who took the court case. If that is the case and it costs the State money, it is obviously a difficulty. Then there is the role of the State Claims Agency. One of the issues at the heart of it is, unfortunately, that the woman concerned was dragged through the courts. She had to fight every step of the way to get information that should have been made available to her.

We are back to the point made in the earlier discussion with Mr. Martin Fraser. The system seems to be at sixes and sevens in even being able to give us any information. Either intentionally or unintentionally, deliberately or not, with the public, we are not in a position to get answers to questions. The matter has been debated in the Dáil and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health will examine it. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach will also look at it. We have a very specific remit which we need to use because people need to be held to account. There may be scoping reviews and, at some point, other investigations and examinations, but we have a particular role to play. The starting point should be where process failures cost the State money. I refer to the State Claims Agency and its role in fighting the case at greater cost to the State. That is also an issue for us. That is my recommendation to the Chairman. I emphasise as strongly as I can that while I am talking about a cost to the State, I am deeply conscious of the cost to the women involved which is the most important overriding issue. However, our remit is financial. That is why I am emphasising that aspect.