Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is also the view of Sinn Féin that there needs to be a fully independent inquiry into Savita Halappanavar's death and that this has to have the confidence of the Irish public and international opinion but, most particularly, the confidence, co-operation and trust of Savita's husband Praveen and her family. At whatever level it is conducted - that is a matter for the Government - that requires prior consultation with the family, in particular with Praveen, because otherwise in what may be a good move, with all due deference to the people in University Hospital Galway, one is only second-guessing the family unless one can get its prior agreement to this.

Will the first the family hear about this be from media reports? Would it not be better to have appropriate consultation with them so they can know the Government's position? In this situation the issues are so vexed and difficult for the family that we must try to get consensus on how to proceed. Given the Taoiseach's assertion that neither he nor the Minister for Health had consultation with the family, is there some other form of contact with them?

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