Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I cannot say that that information was represented to her at that time. I cannot inform the House of the exact nature of the conversation that took place. Deputy O'Sullivan also asked the number of public and private patients involved. I do not have that information either.

I must, without being overly political on a serious issue about which people are concerned, take the Deputy to task and reiterate that the Minister has displayed a considerable commitment to patient safety through the establishment of the commission on patient safety, the Medical Council and Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA. It is quite possible that without HIQA we would not know all of this information and that the matter may not have been resolved as quickly.

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