Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this important legislation. Each of us has commented on the quality of various professional services, but the standard of health and social services is of particular importance. I have listened with interest to a number of Deputies. We should compliment the dedicated people involved in the provision of health and social services who have given their all and made significant commitments above and beyond the call of duty for many years. They have not received rewards or a great deal of recognition. Unfortunately, when something goes wrong, as is the case in certain circumstances, they all get the blame. I hope that the directive being complied with will address these issues.

All Deputies know of situations that have gone wrong in recent years. Something should have been done to protect patients, people with special needs or other vulnerable people. For years, incidents occurred that should not have been allowed to happen. There was no backup or commitment. There was always a good excuse for things not being done in the right order. Various Deputies have referred to the State's liability in this regard. That liability increases with the passage of time.

It is ironic that we are discussing this issue in the aftermath of the Celtic tiger, when everything was possible and there was an abundance of funding. However, the money did not go where it should have. Emphasis was not placed on addressing the issues we are discussing. Glitches appeared in the system.

In the past ten or 15 years, there have been many professional incidents in the health service, some of which were appalling. While those involved might have had all of the necessary qualifications, some of their practices raised serious questions. I do not want to go into particular details, but some women had operations performed upon them that were debilitating, demeaning and ever lasting in so far as their health and well being were concerned. I will never understand how problems of that nature were not addressed at the time or how a particular procedure was allowed to continue regardless of the questions legitimately raised by other professionals. That other professionals were unwilling to address those questions was a terrible blight. The Minister of State and all other Deputies are fully conversant with the issues.

Incidentally, I congratulate the Minister of State and wish him well. He has a difficult portfolio in difficult times. Like everyone, he is being asked to perform more tasks with less money.

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