Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not mean to labour the point but the Joint Committee on Health is considering this matter and has organised a visit to the site. Is it not prudent to ask that committee for a report on what progress it is making in order to put pressure on it to ensure it deals with this matter adequately? As Senator Craughwell said, if we cannot get those reassurances, we should look at the matter then. I agree with Senator Murphy. If this is a committee of last resort, we do not want a dual process with two committees looking at the exact same issue. I appreciate that the two committees could be brought together but the HSE has already been before the Joint Committee on Health to discuss this issue. Asking it to appear before this committee would be a total duplication of work from our perspective and that of the HSE. If there are other petitions that should be considered, we would be deprioritising them to deal with a matter that another committee is already examining, which would not make sense. We should ask the Joint Committee on Health for a report on its work and keep the pressure on it to ensure it deals with this. I know it a time-sensitive issue but that committee has agreed to visit the sites. If it does not do that or if we feel it is not progressing the matter, we should by all means look at it. Until then, this seems to me to be a matter for the Joint Committee on Health and it is on its agenda.