Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kirk for raising this matter. Following peer review, the independent report by Professor Walsh was submitted to my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, at the end of May last. The Minister met the three support groups representing the women concerned in August 2013. At that meeting the Minister proposed to appoint a judge to meet the women to facilitate decisions on how best to bring closure for the women concerned. Department officials are actively considering the issue and the Minister intends to bring proposals to Government in the coming weeks. I confirm that the Minister intends to publish the Walsh report when the Government has had an opportunity to consider the matter and approve an approach regarding how best to proceed. It should be acknowledged that this is a complex issue for the Government to address. I am aware that legal proceedings have been initiated in more than 100 cases but the Minister is not a party to these proceedings. In addition, complex legal issues regarding liability have yet to be resolved.

The Minister's priority continues to be to ensure that the greatest possible supports and services are made available to women who have had this procedure and to ensure that their health needs are comprehensively and professionally met. The women concerned continue to receive attention and care through several services and pathways of care put in place in the HSE. These can be accessed by women on request from a HSE symphysiotomy liaison officer. Services available on request include full GMS eligibility; independent clinical advice; the organisation of individual pathways of care; the arrangement of appropriate follow-up care such as medical, gynaecological and orthopaedic assessment, counselling, physiotherapy, reflexology, home help, acupuncture, osteopathy and fast-track hospital appointments where possible; and a support group facilitated by a counsellor set up in Dundalk and Drogheda in 2004 for women living in the north-east region, of which the Deputy is aware. The Minister is committed to facilitating a mechanism to help bring closure to this issue for the women concerned.

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