Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can assure the Deputy, the families and the advocacy groups that the HSE and CHI will not be writing the terms of reference for this review. It will be independent. Of course, they will have to be consulted at some level about what is going to be in the terms of reference. It would be improper not to do so, and absolutely, the advocacy groups and the parents will need to be consulted too, and the reviewer who is going to carry out the review. That will be done. It might take some, therefore, to come up with terms of reference because I know the reviewer will want to meet the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister will want to meet him. The Minister for Health obviously has political responsibility for this, as we do as a Government. Beyond that, the reviewer is going to want to meet with the advocacy groups as well. It is absolutely right that the terms of reference are done correctly, even if it takes a bit of time for them to be agreed, and that the external review is fully independent.

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