Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My apologies. We have a scoping inquiry under way that will report initially in the first week of June and it will be finalised by the end of June. It will be followed by a statutory inquiry.

There is no question that any information or files are going to be hidden from anyone. As Vicky Phelan said yesterday, what is needed is full accountability and that is what is going to be delivered. What we are doing as a Government is trying to ensure that the information we put into the public domain now is fully accurate and complete. That is why we want to ensure Dr. Scally can get on with the work he needs to do while respecting the fact that the committees have important work to do as well. The work they have done in recent weeks has been most valuable.

Deputy Doherty referred to supports for victims of this scandal. I have met Stephen Teap and spoken to him on several occasions. It was Stephen Teap's contribution and what he was looking for in terms of support that influenced the way in which the package was shaped and how we would tailor support for individuals and their families with medical cards, out-of-pocket expenses and others supports and counselling that may be needed. It is by listening to people like Vicky Phelan, Stephen Teap and Emma Mhic Mhathúna that the Government has tried to respond as comprehensively as it can to provide tailor-made individual packages for families and individuals who need them from the HSE. Not only that, we are appointing people within the HSE who appoint people to talk to families and individuals to ensure we get the supportive packages right. That is a significant and important delivery for the Government to follow through on for victims and their families.

Deputy Doherty referred to accountability. We are already seeing, and we will continue to see, an insistence that no one is excluded from full scrutiny regardless of what offices people hold or who they are. The way in which we can do that most comprehensively is to let Dr. Scally get on with the work that he needs to do and the follow-on inquiry that will come afterwards.

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