Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It has not yet concluded because the Tánaiste is giving directions to the Taoiseach. Does the Taoiseach agree, as he did last year, that there should be independence and objectivity when assessing cases like this? If a train crashes or if a building collapses, a special investigative team is used. The Health and Safety Authority has such competence. There is no patient authority service and no health ombudsman who can act with complete objectivity and independence. While I do not decry Mr. Carey's qualifications, this should apply as a matter of competence and as a matter of course.

Will the Taoiseach see to it that a general directive is given under the Act so that this situation does not recur in any hospital for any patient, in other words, if someone is dying who can be saved, everything that needs to be done in a hospital to save that person will be done whatever the circumstances? Second, will the Taoiseach remove the confusion that exists because of protocols and other matters and put in place a health ombudsman and a patient service authority that will see to it that these situations can be investigated quickly, professionally, independently and objectively——

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