Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

In the Minister's responses to me last week at the health committee and again today, he indicated giving consideration to how best to deal with the issues involved in the Michael Shine case. As he has already indicated, some of the possible options in terms of an inquiry or how it would be constructed may not be open to him at this time. What consideration is he therefore giving and what options do he and his Department have for that consideration? The Minister suggests that any ongoing Garda investigation or specific individual cases may be an impediment to proceeding in a full way. Is there potential to look at the distinction between an investigation of Michael Shine and an examination of the system from the hospital to the Garda and from the Health Service Executive to the Department of how they actually responded in this and the many cases presented around his abuse of young hospital patients?

I also stress the need for support for Dignity 4 Patients. I take some hope, as I did from the Minister's replies last Thursday and this morning at the health committee, that additional supports will be provided to help to anchor secretarial backup for Dignity 4 Patients which is a significant organisation providing important support and making representations for a body of men who need help and support. I urge the Minister to make every effort to approve national lottery funding for it.

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