Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. I will start with the opening statements at the beginning of today's meeting and the reflection on the testimony from yesterday evening. I am conscious that the opening statements obviously were updated last night to take account of the testimony heard then. Given that, and that the testimony was from the people who were affected, I want to dwell on it. They are not just some newspaper headline from this morning and then we shuffle on.

Mr. Breslin says on page 4 of his statement "we are seeking to achieve a health service where the relationship with patients is open, honest, listening and supportive". They are all good buzz words, but according to Stephen Teap the culture is to "protect and deny". If Mr. Breslin's opening words were that he had the privilege of hearing the words of Stephen Teap and Vicky Phelan, their closing remarks, especially when he heard Mr. Teap say the culture was to protect and to deny, obviously resonated with him. There should be no false platitudes for the people who appeared before the committee last night. Mr. Breslin cannot on the one hand agree with some of their words and on the other hand disagree with others. Does he accept that there is an endemic culture to protect and to deny?