Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree 100%. I am in business and if you look at any business in this country, whether you are self-employed, you are a limited company or whatever you are, you are held accountable by Revenue and by the Departments. You are held accountable by everyone. Why is Tusla not held accountable in the same way HIQA needs to be held accountable? Anyone who makes a decision if it is with Government money or anyone who makes a decision for whatever sector they are in has to be held accountable. We have seen the practices of decades gone by where things have been pushed around in a circle and there is no accountability. If you look at all the different organisations, they think they have anonymity and protection. Whether they are in a section in an NGO, whether they are in a section of a Department or whichever section they are in, they think they are untouchable. It needs to change. Every section needs to be held accountable.

If the executive of a county council, the HSE or another organisation makes a mistake, they need to be held accountable for their action. If they get something wrong, we can correct it but if we keep sweeping things under the carpet, pushing it away and using taxpayers' money to fight it, we will never correct the mistake. Everyone in this room can make mistakes but anyone who makes a mistake should be held accountable. We will fix it and move forward. I 100% agree the petitioner and HIQA should be brought in.