Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will briefly address the issue raised by the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor. I do not for a moment underestimate the scale of the challenge that she might be facing in terms of the obesity epidemic. With the greatest respect, however, I would doubt the relevance of it to this discussion. For any parents watching who perhaps are with their child waiting to go in for surgery this will not inspire a massive amount of confidence. This is not to diminish the issue but perhaps there is a better time and place for that to be discussed.

The Minister said: "I offer my deepest regret for the distress and anxiety caused to the families, and both the HSE and CHI have apologised to the children and families affected by these issues." She did not say that in her contribution but I wonder if she has apologised to them. She spoke of regret on the record here, and I am sure this means an awful lot to them, but the apology is on the record from CHI and the HSE. Did the Minister say sorry herself as the person in the lead here, as the person with whom the buck stops, and as the person from whom they would like to receive that apology?

We are here because of another report into yet another failure by the health service. I represented workers in the health service for many years and I know how hard they work but they are very often battling a level of incompetence and a complete lack of oversight on the part of the leadership. It is very hard for them to do their work. The conditions under which they work are very strenuous and onerous. I acknowledge that but the simple fact is that children were not protected from the risk of harm. CHI procured the non-medical springs and the children were operated on when they were in the care of CHI. The report lays bare the manner in which children and their families were left unsupported and without information. I can only imagine what that must be like for parents. I can only imagine how it would feel to be in Temple Street hospital today with a child who was about to go in for surgery. People need confidence. It is a very big step to let go of your child's hand and to let them go in for surgery. It is a massive leap of faith for any parent. Those parents and children deserve to have confidence, and I do not think they could today. They certainly could not have confidence in the board of CHI. It is time for the board that has presided over much of this to stand down. The Minister needs to call for that.

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