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

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. My sympathy and concern goes to any patient suffering complications as a result of an operation or procedure they have had. I wish to put that on the record. I did not see the TV programme last night although I read some things about the issue in the newspapers in recent times. However, I am not an expert on it and I was not aware the Deputy was going to raise the issue today. Therefore, I am not fully briefed on it.

As always, anything the Government does will have to be guided by the best clinical and medical advice from obstetricians and gynaecologists who are experts in this field. While I am a qualified medical doctor, I am not an expert in this field and I would not like to make pronouncements about these issues as a doctor or a politician without the best advice from those who are educated and specialist in the area. It is not this House or Government that decides which medical devices are legal. That is a function of the Health Products Regulatory Authority, and should be so.

See this speech in context