Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I put it again to the Minister of State that precedents exist for putting the uncensored report before the Joint Committee on Health and Children so that it can be published under Oireachtas privilege. Apart from the crutch of legal advice, he has not explained why he will not do this. If he rigidly insists on refusing to allow publication of the full report in any form, will he at least publish the uncensored recommendations? How does he expect the HSE to act on the recommendations contained in the Monageer report if only its CEO is able to read them?

The report states that the public health nursing service offered to children under the age of five is critical to the identification of children in need of intervention but that it is unclear whether the systems in place at present are sufficient to this task. Does the Minister of State agree this is a serious admission and will he immediately undertake a review of this service, as recommended, with a view to its development?

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