Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will refer to some items already raised but look at different aspects of those issues. How committed to open disclosure are people working the system? What is the immediate reaction when something goes wrong? I recognise that there must be a "for and against" aspect to this; all parties are entitled to defend their views and do not have to automatically capitulate. However, an alarm bell must sound somewhere if the same issue arises on more than one occasion at the same location. How long do we wait before the alarm goes off and someone decides that the issue has to be looked at immediately?

On the question of the combative nature of the system in this country, why is it necessary to fall into legal combat? It puts a distance between the two sides and puts them on notice. Is it not possible to investigate individual situations with a view to finding out whether there is substance to the case or not and come to a conclusion? In the event that there is clear evidence of negligence, surely there should be a system where an offer is made, or some ex gratia payment offered in recognition of the suffering the patient went through, with a view to short circuiting the case.

On the Portiuncula Hospital report mentioned by my colleague, how was the system activated? We have a report because there was a series of events that were not in accordance with what we expected. Was the system activated at some point down the road? Why did we have to wait? Why was it not possible, in the interests of public health and safety, to put measures in place to investigate thoroughly the issues that arose in the initial stages? If more than two, three or four cases began emerging from the same location, I would become very suspicious.

I am not just referring to this because it is a current news story, but over the years various procedures carried out on women in maternity hospitals, and in some general hospitals, were peculiar. A series of events happened in rather strange circumstances which would lead me to ask why certain practices were continued. They have since been discontinued, thankfully. These practices were appalling and went on for many years without being checked. I cannot understand why they occurred. Notwithstanding all that has happened, and the lack of accountability for the various scandals that have taken place, can we rest assured now that there are provisions in place which mean that we do not have to wait for an inquiry before it dawns on someone that something must be done about a particular issue?