Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their time. I am sitting here as a TD but also as a parent who is affected by this. That is why I purposely sat, as a parent, with the people behind me for the first phase of the meeting. This is my story. I went to Cappagh hospital with my young child who had an underlying health condition. We sat before the surgeon who is now on leave and were told we should seriously consider surgery. I asked for the pros and cons, as any other parent would. We left and drove back to Wexford. There was hardly a word spoken between me and wife in the car but as we arrived at our house, I said to my wife, “We can’t proceed.” My young son had been through enough. It is by the grace of God that I am not sitting over there. It is absolutely horrific. I am strong. People ask if I think about it every day. I do not but what I do think about every day are the parents. My God, how did this happen? I am of the firm opinion that justice must take its course but if this plays out the way I think it may, this could be one of the biggest cases of medical malpractice in the history of the State. With all due respect to those sitting before us, let us call this out as it is. The people sitting in front of me now were in the driving seat when this was going on. It was on their watch. Those are the facts.

How was this allowed to happen? I heard a comment earlier that surgeons may be tired, overworked and all of that. I repeat that we should let justice take its course but how can a parent hand their young child over to a surgeon? Our children are the most vulnerable persons in our society. You hand your child over to a surgeon and you presume, expect and demand he or she will get the full care that child deserves. It is very clear this did not happen. This is so wrong. It really is.

I am conscious of time. There are three main factors here. The first is the family. When I speak about the family I speak about the parents and the child. I am conscious of the work being done by the Minister to ensure things are improving. There was a policy of full exclusion of the people behind me. Why were they excluded? That has to change, and I can see it is changing, to inclusion. They must be part of every part of this process. In future, they must be fully engaged with everything that goes on. That is not a request but a demand from a parent. As I said, I am lucky. My child is seven years old and he is running half marathon distances almost. Thank God, he is in that position. Every day I think of these parents.

On prevention, how can the witnesses honestly say this will never happen again? Based on what I have heard this morning, I do not feel that is the case. The Minister is taking the lead on this but it is essential that we get processes in place so this can never happen again.

My last point is on justice. Justice has to play out. If somebody has done something wrong, they must stand up and be accountable. CHI has taken responsibility but the individual who stood over the children in question also has to take responsibility.