Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Perhaps the Minister of State will say when this whole sorry mess was discovered. We know that the new CEO learned of the situation on his appointment in December. When prior to that was the situation in this regard known about and by whom? I understand the Minister was informed of the position around that time and that she is claiming she was not made aware of the number of X-rays involved. We are told this situation was discovered some time in December. However, it was the CEO who discovered it then. When, prior to that, was this situation known?

We are now in the middle of March and the HSE clinical director and a number of other big shots are only today going to visit the hospital to discuss the matter despite that this situation has been known about since at least end of December. Why were those big shots not called to the hospital long before now to sort of out what could or should be done? Why did they wait until now to do this? Is it because the matter is in the public domain and is being reported on by the media and discussed in this House? Are they trying to dampen it down? Why were they not called in long before now? Will the Minister of State give us a categorical assurance that the remainder of the X-rays will be read and will he provide us with a specific timeframe or aspirational date in this regard so that people, who are concerned about their health, some possibly with cancer, their families and the many thousands of people well beyond the 58,000 mentioned here, can be put at ease?

The Minister of State in his opening remarks stated that the 58,000 X-rays represented 6% of all X-rays carried out at Tallaght Hospital and that 94% of X-rays had been read. It sounded to me as though the Minister of State - perhaps he will clarify this - regards a 6% error as being not too bad at all. I believe a 1% error is a scandal. Perhaps the Minister of State will clarify his position in this regard. It is extremely important that he does so. Does the Minister of State accept that this Government is wrecking the health service and that the Fianna Fáil element of this Government has been wrecking our health service for more than 20 years now and will not settle until such time as it has privatised the whole shooting gallery, which clearly is its political agenda? For the purpose of clarity, I do not seek to hang this matter around the neck of the current Minister of State, Deputy Andrews, and his colleagues but, broadly, that has been the political agenda of Fianna Fáil Governments for more than 20 years now.

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