Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In respect of the case Deputy McDonald raises, I read the media reports on the case this morning. It is something that should not have happened. I am very upset to hear that an elderly couple in their final years could be separated in this way. I think this decision was devoid of common sense and humanity.

My heart goes out to them for what they have endured at the hands of our bureaucracy in the recent weeks. I am very pleased that the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, acted swiftly to resolve the case and have the decision reviewed. He will also look at similar instances. The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, were in contact with Tom Devereaux, the couple's son, in the past couple of hours and I understand that the situation has now been resolved. The couple are going to be reunited.

I cannot comment on the detail of any individual assessment or on which doctor signed off and which did not. I do not have access to that kind of detail. However, there were extenuating circumstances in this case whereby a very elderly couple was separated after over 60 years of marriage. That is not the kind of decision-making we should have in our State. It was devoid of humanity and common sense and everyone in government is very upset about it. It is a shame that the matter was not resolved before it entered the public domain but I am pleased the Minister and Minister of State acted very swiftly to contact the family. The couple will now be reunited. They should never have been separated.

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