Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We spoke about this in private session. The matter is ongoing. The committee is supposed to be open to every member of the public. As I said in the last session, it is about fairness and listening to both sides of the story. As is often said, there are two sides to every story and then there is the truth. I agree we should first invite in the witnesses from the Owenacurra Centre and St. Brigid's hospital. I should declare at this stage that the Owenacurra Centre issue is of personal concern to me because it is located in my home town. I have been fairly vocal on the matter. It is important that the committee hears the witnesses' statements with regard to the impact of closure of these services on communities and families. That would also be a bonus for those who are not aware of the services. The HSE is also entitled to come in and offer its take on the matter. That would be a fair way to proceed. It would open up a lot of other avenues. It is the fair way to go.