Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is appropriate that Deputy Kelly and I acknowledge this, along with everyone in the House, because we would not be here if it were not for the work she did.

Deputy Kelly's concerned about time creep is genuine, and it is a good way of putting the idea that this could slip on and on. We need to get the answer. The idea of the scoping inquiry is to get the answer. I am very satisfied that Dr. Gabriel Scally will get a lot of good answers. This is a man who, as Deputy Kelly rightly acknowledged, has a very impressive CV and track record. He calls it as he sees it and we saw that this week. He does not take any messing around from anyone.

With regard to the issue of documents and information, I could not have been clearer with him and, in fairness, he said this publicly. I took the opportunity to phone him again yesterday to tell him if he encountered any blockage from anyone in getting any information or any records to tell me directly. He said he appreciated that and he would be back to me if it arose. I have legal powers to request documentation from the HSE and make it available to others. I do not believe I will need to use them because everyone has said they will co-operate, but I will stop at nothing to make sure he gets the information that he requires.

I also want to pick up the point Deputy Kelly made, quite rightly, and it was raised at the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts today, on the number of cases being likely to increase. It is important that as audits are carried out and completed they are disclosed to women. Had that happened in the first place we would not have the awful mess in which women have found themselves, where information about their own health care was concealed.

Auditing is good but not disclosing audit results is the problem. I expect, as the audits are completed, that the women will be first to be notified. It will not be this House or the media but rather the women who will be informed about their medical records. Dr. Scally will be kept informed in this regard.

I am absolutely committed to setting up a commission of inquiry in September and working with the Opposition to ensure that is as effective as possible. I thank Dr. Scally for his superb work and I look forward to more of his recommendations.

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