James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I also welcome the inquiry. However, from the Minister's remarks, I am unclear whether this inquiry will include the two specific cases mentioned, those of Ms Moriarty and Ms Kelly. From her remarks I understand it will encompass services of a broader nature at Ennis General Hospital. Like my Labour Party colleague, I must say, "better late than never". However, it is upsetting and disappointing to be obliged to wait for so long and that the leadership took so long to be seen, as well as to move, act and represent the public interest. The families were obliged to go through the trauma of public glare to get what was rightfully theirs, namely, justice and transparency for their loved ones. I refer to the damage done to the credibility of the HSE, as one professional after another was rolled out to pour cold water on the need for an independent inquiry. The Minister mentioned the gentlemen concerned and I would be the first to acknowledge their expertise, which lies in breast cancer and not in public disquiet or in meeting the concerns of the public. Such expertise lies within this House, to which Members were elected to represent the people.

I also am concerned there has been no mention of the disappearance of the mammogram at St. James's Hospital as being part of this inquiry because I believe it is extremely serious. For instance, is it known whether a digital machine performed this procedure? If so, is there not a record of it on the hard drive and, if not, why not or how not? This must be investigated. I accept the biopsy might have been taken in Ennis General Hospital and examined in Limerick Regional Hospital. As a clinician, clinical correlation to me means asking whether this fits with what one has seen as a clinician. That is all it means and if the biopsy is negative, the ultrasound is clear and the mammogram shows nothing to worry about, one must ask the reason the patient was not brought back to have a further review if the lump was still present in a month's time or whatever. This must be examined and we must find out what went wrong.

The Minister's is absolutely correct regarding her further questions on Ennis General Hospital. We must find out the reason blood markers were not followed up, what happened in the accident and emergency unit and the reason, the patient having been there for four days, it occurred to no one this could be a recurrence of cancer. In so doing, we must help and support those who were involved in this case in order that they do not make the same mistakes again and to fix the system that allowed this to obtain. Has this anything to do with the lack of investment in Ennis General Hospital, which my good colleague, Deputy Breen, has informed me has been promised yearly for many years?

The Minister also made a statement which I do not accept, that one cannot investigate every incident throughout Ireland. Had we an identifiable patient safety authority, to which people could go with their concerns without being obliged either to resort to publicity and the associated glare and upset it causes for families or to go to the courts, such matters could be dealt with. Fine Gael has asked for this in the past and while one could be accused of creating another quango, this would not be the case as it could be brought under the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, or vice versa. The point is that Irish people are entitled to know they and their loved ones are being looked after properly. I frequently have been on record as stating that while human error always will be with us, a good system will minimise the impact of such human error on the patient. When human error takes place and has a negative impact, people should not be obliged to go through the trauma through which Mr. Henry and Mr. and Mrs. Kelly were obliged to go.

The Minister mentioned the movement to the eight centres. It does not matter what these centres are called, be they centres of excellence, specialist centres or whatever, unless they are funded and resourced appropriately to carry out the job they must do, we will have more of the same. I specifically refer to Waterford Regional Hospital, which originally was due to take all breast cancer cases in the south east by November 2009. Last week, it was informed that the process must be completed by the end of next month. There is no confidence there that it has the theatres, staff or resources to deal with the influx of patients with which it will be obliged to deal. There is a sense there of being set up to fail, rather like Portlaoise hospital, which also was a designated centre.

I would be grateful were the Minister to respond to my concerns. I will finish by again welcoming the independent inquiry. I hope it will be expeditious and does not transpire to be like the inquiry on the north east, on which one still waits, despite it having been promised last July.

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