Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have read all of the reports. I have read the three reports specifically and I have read two reports from the Ombudsman and a statement. I want to say at the outset that the authors of these reports should read the Ombudsman's report and learn how to write a report in clear, readable English, setting out the situation. That has not happened in a single report. It is absolutely disgraceful to read these reports that have set out to obfuscate, confuse and hide the issues rather than setting out when the incidents or events referred to came to their attention, how they came to their attention, who brought them to their attention, what the documentary trail is, and what happened. None of that is set out.

In the first review, which is internal and which we cannot rely on at all, told us that there is not enough documentation and that the review should be used for consultation. That is the only thing raised in this report, and there is a mention of the rods but no analysis of them. That is the only thing that came out of that report. Then it was followed by a so-called independent report by the Boston team. We do not know what that cost or who the names on that were but we know that it was under the direction of Children's Health Ireland. There is no independence there whatsoever. That was followed by Children's Health Ireland putting its narrative on the story, analysing the two previous reports and adding to it with the literature.

The Minister for Health is asking us here today to trust this system. None of these, of course, were published proactively. They had to be forced through political pressure. I thank Deputy Paul Murphy for his series of questions and for persisting with it. We are here today with a response from the Minister telling us that his Department learned in November. What we know from the reports is that the two surgical incidents happened back in July to September and then more happened in September, October and November. Was the Minister alerted then? Was his Department alerted then?

Then we have a Boston expert committee telling us what should happen in the future, and an utter failure to analyse what is there. We are left reading between the lines, as the former CEO of the HSE told us. What we read between the lines is an utter failure to have an environment where people felt safe to complain. Can one imagine that? In the 21st century, after all the reports, we must create an environment that is safe for people to complain.

In all of this then we have Children's Health Ireland and the board of directors. I ask the Minister to look at the make-up of that board of directors and if I have a chance, I will come back to it in my questions. It is led by an engineer, the former head of a university. The mixture on that is property experts, accountants and so on, with very few doctors. That is what is presiding over Children's Health Ireland and the number of hospitals that are under its control. Was this discussed at board level? Did the CEO report back to board level regarding these incidents? Where are the minutes? At least the HSE publishes its minutes.

See this speech in context