Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I must put it to Mr. O'Brien that when he appeared before the committee and dealt with matters relating to Grace and Anne, I think he will concede that confused information was presented to us at times in respect of the apologies given or not given. He will recall this turn of events. I am very concerned that he has given inaccurate or misleading information to the committee in respect of the Devine report and what he claimed was a Garda insistence that reports could not be published and disciplinary actions could not be taken against HSE staff on the instruction or advice of An Garda Síochána. We now know because of a freedom of information, FOI, request by RTE that in fact there was no communication with the Garda for a full three years. I am very concerned that Mr. O'Brien was not complete in the information he gave to the committee. I am concerned also that misleading information has been given to the committee in respect of those staff who were responsible for keeping Grace in that foster home and I want him to clarify that for the committee. Is it the case that one or all of those responsible still work within the public sector? We need to know whether that is true. I am concerned that the allegation - and it has not been refuted - is that what we have witnessed here is what has been described as a clique of HSE managers protecting themselves and the system at the expense of vulnerable children and young adults. I am concerned by the allegation that records may have been tampered with or destroyed. I am concerned above all that the public airing of this turn of events, although the turn of events itself goes back further, goes back to 2012 or 2013. At every stage, Mr. O'Brien was at the helm of the HSE, and it strikes me that he came before the committee and gave, at the very least, incomplete information. This does nothing to build confidence in him and in the discharge of his duties, if he does not mind my saying so. It is not acceptable for him to come before an Oireachtas committee and behave in that way. Therefore, unlike the Chairman, who is giving him seven days to respond to these matters, I think, given the fact that the terms of reference are being debated today in the Houses of the Oireachtas and presumably will be decided at some stage today, it is important that he answer these questions today. The questions are why he did not give us the full story on the interaction with the Garda, why he gave a bogus explanation of disciplinary actions in respect of HSE staff and why we have been given a contradictory and muddled account as to the whereabouts of those staff members who were responsible for neglecting Grace and leaving her in that very dangerous situation. I think he must answer these questions today. I suspect he has all his key people with him and has the information. I expect him to answer our questions today, answer them fully and answer them truthfully.