Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely, the system is working well. I have a series of questions to put to the Department. Some of these issues relate to process and some relate specifically to the financial statements. I hope Mr. Mulvany is listening.

I would like an update on an issue that has crossed our desk recently. I do not want the response now. It relates to the Harold's Cross hospice. There was a HSE internal audit report about a property being disposed of, allegedly, at a serious loss. We have discussed the issue. I know it has been reported to the Garda by some individuals. We want the witnesses to send us a detailed note, insofar as they can. We do not want to cut across any other investigation.

The second item corresponds to something we mentioned in the information that was sent about what we would raise, namely, dental treatment for high-risk patients. I refer in particular to Irish people with an intellectual disability or sensory deficit who can be either blind, deaf or dumb. Some dental surgeons are now getting letters in regard to them.

They had a routine system for these high-risk patients for the service to be approved. They have now received letters from the HSE asking for documentary evidence of a person's medical condition to justify the high risk. They took that up. I have a letter here from the HSE Mid West Community Healthcare which states it has always been the case that there needs to be a record of the high-risk patients. Henceforth, it says, the HSE will audit a sample of approvals.

Is the approach in that region consistent across the country or is that region on its own? It seems to be a severe issue that if somebody is deaf and dumb, and it is well known and they are in the service year after year, he or she is all of a sudden subject to medical audit of his or her condition. Does Mr. Connaghan understand the query?