Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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We have had six reports to date, and we always believed that the recommendations in those reports were to be implemented across all health service provision in the areas they affected. It is difficult to accept that this is a watershed. It will be a watershed, a defining period, if there is full and prompt action.

I do not want to lay all blame at the door of the HSE. There is a responsibility to ensure that we provide the adequate resources, but at some levels it had nothing to do with resources. Basic humanity and compassion should never be a resource issue. It is about natural courtesy. A willingness to embrace people and help them through their trauma and grief does not cost anything. A phone call or to return a phone call should not cost a lot, as opposed to families waiting weeks to receive phone calls. Having to consistently beg for information is appalling and is something for which no resourcing issue could ever be used as an excuse.

In terms of reporting and the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, NPEC, in Cork, it seems to be the case that we still do not have a proper reporting system in place for infant deaths. Why is that the case? We have a number of statutory agencies that report infant mortality and behind the figures nationally we should dig a little deeper to ensure we are not missing some other problems in our health services in general.