Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My party and I believe that it is actually the women and their families who need to be put front and centre. That is why my party leader raised the matter earlier in the week. It is as though some of our State agencies cannot help themselves. They are dragging their feet on this. I asked the Minister earlier if he thought it was acceptable that it has taken more than a month for incomplete information to be sent to the scoping inquiry. All the Members of this House want to make sure that we find out the truth in a very timely fashion and most importantly that the women and their families find out the truth.

However, a change of culture is needed. I actually believe that some of our agencies, the HSE and others, are still acting in a very defensive manner and defending the indefensible. That is why we firmly believe that a commission of inquiry needs to be set up, with powers to compel. I do not want us to come back in the autumn still discussing the problem of the scoping inquiry not getting the information that it needs. Can the Minister give us assurances and tell us what the end of the summer means in the context of the scoping inquiry? Will this be completed by the end of June? Will it be July? Will it be August? These women do not have the luxury of time, as the Minister himself has said.

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