David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister that it is beyond the scope of this Bill and is a much broader issue. Deputy Shortall spent much time at that meeting with Kerry CAMHS trying to work through the maze of the different management layers to find out who was accountable for what. Her presentation of the responses we got back is accurate. It was impossible for us to work out who was responsible. It seems everybody was and nobody was, as has been said.

As it is not relevant to the scope of this Bill, it might be useful if the Minister could give a commitment that some time over the next number of months, he will come back to this committee regarding the regional health areas, specifically the area of accountability and the changes that might come about. We all had concerns. I know the Minister rejected some of the concerns we expressed when the two senior officials in the Department and the HSE appeared before us concerning regionalisation. I have concerns about that process, as have other members, but accountability is critical to it.

Integration of healthcare is critical but accountability is also critical. It speaks to one of the areas of this Bill. It is one area of it with regard to mandatory reporting but accountability is much bigger than that and it is a much broader debate that we should have. I ask that we put it on our work schedule. If the Minister is prepared to come in and discuss regional health authorities, accountability and the changes that can and should be made to improve accountability, it would be a really useful and constructive session of the committee. I am pressing the amendment.