Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The problem in this area is not a matter of legislation but a matter of procedure with the failure of a nurse to register and the failure of the HSE to have in place a system of checks and balances to ensure the nurse appointed in this instance was registered and dealing with matters relating to her continuing nursing in an appropriate manner. I cannot give a definitive timescale for the report but as soon as it is received, any issues arising out of it will be addressed.

That this difficulty has arisen does not of necessity mean that appropriate prosecutions may be prevented from proceeding. I want to be very careful in what I say not to prejudice the success of a prosecution arising out of an alleged sexual assault.

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