Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is essential. We have very eminent geneticists in this country as well. Dr. Willie Reardon, who was involved in this case, is a very eminent geneticist and has been a great support to Rebecca and Pat. I thank the Minister for confirming the appointment of Professor Lesley Regan. Rebecca and Pat have looked to meet with her and I hope that can be facilitated.

Something going wrong in a maternity hospital is a tragedy for any family, from which it is very difficult to recover. Where something goes wrong, such as the death of a child or an injury to a child that could have been avoided, it is even more difficult to recover from than other cases. I know the Minister is aware of that. All the parents want is to ensure it does not happen to anyone else. That has been the motivation behind Rebecca and Pat's campaign, to make sure this can never happen to any other family who want a baby in the way they have wanted a baby, as lots of people do.

It is also essential that there is oversight of private fertility clinics. They are covered by the clinical indemnity scheme but it is not clear what is happening around notification to the incident management scheme with the State Claims Agency. I have raised this at the Committee of Public Accounts. It is essential that these clinics are overseen. If they are to receive the benefit of the clinical indemnity scheme, they must be overseen in every way too.

See this speech in context