Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Deputy O'Sullivan rightly began her contribution by concentrating on the reassurance we can give to patients listening to this debate or hearing reports of it. The information I have to hand is that when HIQA began to involve itself in this issue, it was satisfied that the risk stratification process had been contemplated in a manner in which the reviews of these X-rays would take place after December so that in the initial stages the more serious cases would be examined. Given an issue has arisen in only two of the X-rays already reviewed - there is nothing about which we can be complacent - remaining patients who have not yet been contacted can be reassured to a certain extent. There obviously remains a great deal of work to do. However, the most important message that we should put out today is that this work will be expedited and people will be informed without any further delay. 4 o'clock

Deputy O'Sullivan also asked about the state of knowledge of the Minister for Health and Children. As I mentioned in my opening comments, the Minister was informed of the matter in December following a meeting on another subject. It was not an agenda item for that meeting and was not brought to her attention as a patient safety issue. The matter was brought to her attention in the context of it being an issue about which they wished to inform her but in respect of which they did not wish her to take any action. There is no doubt in any-----

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