Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. While I am sorry the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, is not present, I understand the reason for his absence.

It is very regrettable that I have to raise this issue and I know that the Minister of State agrees with me when I say that. The death of another newborn child in Cavan General Hospital yesterday is a very serious and troubling matter. This is the fourth newborn child to be lost in the maternity unit at the hospital in the past 30 months, within which time we have yet to see findings or recommendations in respect of any of the previous tragic outcomes. That is compounding the serious impact all of these outcomes on the confidence of a dependent community in Cavan, Monaghan and neighbouring counties. It is absolutely imperative that the Minister and his Department intervene immediately to ensure the reports under preparation following the conclusion of the investigations of those given the responsibility to carry them out are brought forward with all due speed and published. In that way, people will have the opportunity to see the findings and recommendations made and very quickly thereafter the implementation of same. It is very reasonable and understandable that many people in the constituency in which I live and I am honoured to represent believe because of the absence of findings and recommendations, including in the very first case, that of baby Jamie Flynn in November 2012, that the subsequent tragic outcomes could have been avoided if the full gamut of information had been available and the necessary steps taken. Sadly, there was yet another case yesterday.

I ask the Minister of State and the senior Minister to intervene with Dr. Peter McKenna, Professor Tom Mathews, Ms Dawn Johnson and Ms Margaret McGarry to encourage the employment of the maximum number of hours available to them and more, if possible, to expedite the conclusion of their investigations. Let us not forget that this is the second investigation into this matter, as the report on the first investigation was suppressed by a decision of the High Court following a case taken by one of the practitioners directly involved.

I am also anxious to establish the nature of the engagement by the former Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, with HIQA when he announced publicly in Cavan that he would secure HIIQA's attention for the cases in Cavan, in association with the authority's investigation into and report on the tragic outcomes at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. It appears from the information to hand that no such direct order was issued by the former Minister, despite his public commentary, and that HIQA has not carried out any investigation or paid any "particular attention," to use his words, to the cases in Cavan in the intervening period. I ask the Minister of State to shed light and offer clarity on the issue.

What is the most up-to-date assessment of when the second investigation into the death of baby Jamie Flynn is likely to be concluded?

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