Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is critical. There were one or two contributions tonight that were simply wrong, specifically the commentary relating to the Minister. I believe what the Minister is saying but there is a real issue. The Minister is managing a live process. He was told something earlier and he acted on facts over the weekend. This Dáil debated facts that were wrong, and that cannot happen again. The scenario in which the information came to the Minister tells me there is something wrong in the Department and the national screening process at the very least. It tells me there is something wrong if people are afraid to relay such information to the Minister's Department. This cannot happen again because if it does, we will get into a different space and I do not want to go there. This is too serious an issue. The political sideshow must end in the next couple of days because this is a serious matter. The Minister should send an email to everybody in the Department, the HSE and the national screening centre, asking that if people have any information, they should reveal it. It has nearly gone to that. There are 15 people who could not provide the Minister with accurate data over the weekend.

I am glad the Minister made those comments about HIQA. What will happen if HIQA is asking questions and requests people to turn up but those people refuse to do so? Nothing happens and the people just do not turn up. They do not answer questions and they are not compelled to do so. Where do we go then? The real issue is that HIQA does not have adequate powers, including power of compellability. It cannot force people to answer questions or attend meetings. People cannot be cross-examined. As a result, we will end up with a commission anyway. I will be helpful. There is a need for a period to scope this and it cannot be open-ended. This is to ensure it could be done quickly. I repeat that we will refuse point blank to support this being done by HIQA.

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