Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed with the response that it will be purely focused on Portiuncula Hospital. I understand the management of the Saolta University Health Care Group was made aware by the hospital itself of the transfer of the babies from Portiuncula Hospital for therapeutic cooling after the first two babies were transferred and after the second two babies were transferred. Why did it fail to act on the concerns expressed by staff? We need clarity on the management of the care of each baby, which the parents deserve. They also deserve to know why they were not informed of the inquiry until they were told by the media. We also need to know why the resource concerns raised by the midwives in the hospital, and by local and group management, seem to have been ignored. This is the key question. If those concerns were addressed would there be a need for this inquiry? This needs to be answered.

It was the staff in Portiuncula Hospital who raised this issue. They are the people who pushed for a review to take place. Therefore they should not be scapegoated. We need a proper independent inquiry which not only examines what happened in Portiuncula Hospital but why senior management failed to act when these issues were brought to their attention.

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