Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

Yesterday, my party leader, Deputy Gilmore, raised the question of the publication of the Ann O'Doherty report, which was originally promised by the Taoiseach for the end of November 2007 and is now promised for February 2008. I am raising this matter because today's Irish Medical Times is reporting that some of the women who were misdiagnosed have contracted MRSA. They were harmed initially by being misdiagnosed but they have now been doubly harmed by the health service through contracting MRSA. We urgently need the Ann O'Doherty report to be published. Does the Minister have any update in terms of whether the report will definitely be published by the end of the month?

Is there any promised legislation that will address the issue of MRSA, which appears to be unstoppable in hospitals? There seems to be no formula in place that can adequately deal with the spread of MRSA in our hospitals.

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