Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. This is certainly an issue on which we need to work together. I presume the Attorney General is providing advice on it. I acknowledge that such advice cannot be shared directly, but I ask that it be repackaged into a report and that the Minister endeavour to get it to the Oireachtas and the health committee as quickly as possible. It should include the views of the HSE if they are not especially sensitive in order that we can start considering its viewpoint, which would be useful.

The judgment may be appealed, changed or overturned and the Minister will revert with legal advice in the coming weeks. In the meantime, there is widespread fear and concern among clinicians. As the Minister rightly stated, they are asking questions that go beyond screening and pointing out that the same issues exist with any diagnostics. Will the Minister consider as a matter of urgency convening a stakeholder forum with the professional bodies, the State Claims Agency, the clinical indemnity scheme, to provide reassurance to clinicians in the interim period while we are awaiting legal views on this in order that they are safe to continue practising, screening and diagnosing as they are today?

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