James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Clearly those statistics on how many births were to women of non-Irish descent must be examined further. If there was a disparity, it would be concerning.

I must agree with the Deputy, in that communication is essential. It is the cornerstone of clinical practice. If one cannot hear what the patient is trying to tell one, the chances of making a proper diagnosis and delivering a proper treatment and best practice are minimal. This is always an area of concern and we must be vigilant. In fairness to the Irish College of General Practitioners, it was the first college to introduce a communication module to its training. Communication should be taught during the training of all health professionals, including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, etc.

Language barriers and cultural differences make a significant difference. Even those who speak English as their normal language use expressions that have entirely different meanings for other cultures. I could supply a few examples that would amuse the House, but doing so in a public place might not be proper. Not to make light of the issue, expressions have different meanings for different people even if the same words are used. I accept the Deputy's concerns on the issue of communication.

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