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

I thank the Chair and the HSE officials not just for being here with us to discuss this very important issue, but also for their leadership and everything they did during the Covid-19 period which saved so many lives.

My apologies for having missed the start of the meeting but I had to attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which ran late. I have, however, read through the witnesses' opening statements and I am very impressed by the proactive nature of everything the HSE is doing in this area, including the five-year action plan; the fact that it is committed to publishing the sepsis outcome report from past year, the two-day international summit being hosted in Dublin, which is a significant opportunity to spread the word about this issue, and, of course, the communications plan which the HSE is working so strategically on with so many different stakeholders.

Sepsis was a word and not much more than a word for me for a long time but one that meant very serious complications. The more people know about this condition, the more they can understand how serious these complications can be. Sepsis, in many instances, is fatal and it can also lead to life-changing conditions for people.

Caroline Brady is a friend of mine in Lucan who is known for all of her advocacy and community work there and she is a cousin of Sophie Lanigan, who many people in her area would know. She is a 12-year-old girl who in December was admitted to hospital with streptococcus A. There has been significant publicity around streptococcus A, which is very welcome because that very much highlighted how serious a condition it is, how action is needed and how to respond when there are any concerns about it. Sepsis brought about the life-changing conditions for Sophie Lanigan. She is 12 years of age and has been very courageous through a very difficult time. She fought for her life for two weeks and when she woke, it was to the news that what she was losing her limbs. These are the very serious consequences for a 12-year-old whose life has just changed irreversibly forever. I commend her, her family, and everybody who rallied around her through a fantastic online fundraising campaign.

The reality is that while Sophie and her family found themselves in a completely horrific situation, it could, unfortunately, be worse and sometimes it is. I commend Mr. Hughes and Ms Phoenix on bringing this petition, and for their bravery, conviction and determination to build awareness around this issue to save other people’s lives. The updates the HSE officials have given us are very informative and have very much shown how proactive the HSE has been in this area.

The Chair is completely right in that we, as an Oireachtas, should be having awareness days also for ourselves. It is up to all of us to ensure that we are linking in with the HSE’s communications plan and that we are filtering this down to our constituents in helping to spread the word. My question, therefore, is in respect of the HSE’s action plan, the report, the summit that is coming up and the communications plan is what we, as Oireachtas Members and public representatives, can do to help spread awareness in this area and to help promote Lil Reds Legacy Sepsis Awareness Campaign.