Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank all the witnesses for attending this afternoon. As a committee we now have a great deal of information to reflect on. Arising from today's meeting the legislative process is not as simple as some might say but there is the political will to deal with it. This committee has demonstrated that we do have the political will to deal with this issue. We need to take up the issue with the Department of Health and as Mr. O'Mahony said, it is a policy issue for the Department of Health and that we would also talk to the Minister and the Secretary General at the Department of Health and have a follow-up meeting on this issue with them. We should discuss with the HSE the issue of the mandate. We should communicate with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland regarding its investigations on the outcome, the timeline and when it ought to be concluded.
The purpose of our meeting today is to effect change in the area and to bring in much-needed change, which we in this room accept has to happen. We will certainly raise the issue at our quarterly meeting with the Department of Health and the HSE. We will put this topic on the agenda for our next full meeting with the Department of Health and the HSE. We are committed to bringing about change on this issue.
On behalf of all members I express our thanks to Ms Caroline Sloan for coming to this meeting and extend our deepest sympathy to her on the tragic death of her beautiful young daughter. We were glad that Ms Sloan had the photograph of her daughter to put in front of us to keep her in our minds as we continue to work for change. We know that sympathy is not enough and that is the reason why, as part of our meeting today, we invited Ms Sloan to attend.
I thank Ms Yvonne Moynihan, Dr. Michael Byrne, Professor Hourihane and Mr. O'Mahony and the members of the Irish Medicines for being present today. I hope this meeting will continue to raise and promote awareness, not just in the committee room but beyond it. I hope that any young person who is watching and listening to us today reads the transcripts of the proceedings. It is important that we promulgate the matter and that people do not hide their situation in any shape or form.
I thank Professor Jonathan Hourihane and Dr. Michael Byrne whom I have met on many occasions and I hope we will see change. As Senator Crown said, it is a cumbersome slow and bureaucratic process but we will persevere and at the end of the day we will bring about change sooner rather than later.
Finally, before I draw the meeting to a close, I thank all the members in the Visitors Gallery for their presence.