Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy's knowledge of the history of this House is greater than mine. However, I can assure him that nobody is in any doubt in terms of the competence of the newly appointed CEO at Tallaght hospital to deal with this issue. Equally, the Minister for Health and Children had absolute confidence that Professor Conlon would discharge his responsibilities, namely, that the practice had ceased and that the review would commence. Deputy O'Sullivan quoted what Professor Conlon had to say on radio this morning, namely, that he told the Minister that extra consultants were being appointed and that this would be done as quickly as humanly possible. I believe the Minister was entitled to rely on the information as represented to her at the time. For this reason, the Minister, as stated, left it to the hospital to deal with the situation, which was right and proper.

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