Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know the Chief Medical Officer. I have confidence in him, but that step is not the appropriate one to take. I beg to differ with that and it is no reflection on the Chief Medical Officer at all. In situations like this where there have been four deaths over the past six years, there should be a mechanism that triggers an immediate independent inquiry where all documentation and records can be accessed. That is the basic point I am putting to the Taoiseach.

In such a situation, there can be instinctive reactions, both on a campus and elsewhere. For example, the delay and the absolute obfuscation that occurred between the hospital management and the parents was quite shocking. It is truly shocking that reports were done in relation to the death of their babies and the parents were not told for years afterwards. There are clinical and non-clinical issues here, there is clear maladministration here and it seems that a comprehensive inquiry at arm's length is called for. Ultimately, part of the strength of the response to the death of Ms Savita Halappanavar was the independent nature of the inquiry and its personnel. I would put it to the Taoiseach that that was effective in the end.

We can talk all we like about our good record but that is of no consolation to the parents concerned. If it was not for Mark and Roisin Molloy, the parents of baby Mark, I do not think we would be here today. Their tenacity and pursuit of this led to what we now know. I put it to the Taoiseach in good faith that when situations like this emerge the way to restore the confidence of the people in the services is for an independent inquiry to be held as soon as possible.

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