Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The information the Taoiseach has given the House is inaccurate. How does he know that the commission will carry out its work now? He has referred to other interviews that need to take place and extra documentation received. Does he not know that the report published yesterday referred to the interviews being concluded this month? Can he tell me if they have been concluded? The commission stated it had been expecting 277 files to be delivered in December. Were they delivered? Does the Taoiseach know? If he does not, why does he not? I do not expect him to be on top of every detail, but there is a considerable problem in this House where we set up commissions of investigation in response to appalling scandals and horrific abuses perpetuated on people in that we let them carry on and ask for extra time. The Taoiseach does not pose or answer any of the valid questions I have raised about the reasons for the delay. It is not acceptable. It is a feature of Irish political life, for the Opposition and the media, that nobody follows them through.

Last May, the Taoiseach told me that in response to the CervicalCheck scandal and the lack of action on mandatory disclosure the Government would progress and implement a patient safety Bill. That was not seen through and has been forgotten. In response to the Grace scandal, the Government set up the Farrelly commission. Everybody forgot about it and the time to finalise its report has been extended. The Government must see these issues through. I ask the Taoiseach to answer the questions he was asked about why this commission has not done the job it was supposed to do. Is it being obstructed or is it just incompetent? There is no other explanation, although the Taoiseach may invent one.

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