Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

Yes. The symptoms I mentioned can also be attributed to many other things, as we know. The consumption of alcohol, for example, can cause depression and fatigue and increased liver function. There is no consensus in that regard.

I would like to speak about the jaundice issue. We are talking about a woman who has just had a baby and would be in hospital during the period in question. It is not as if we are talking about somebody at home who had jaundice but did not contact anyone about it. If the person was in hospital during the relevant period, as I suggest she would be, it is clear that clinical records would exist to establish whether she had jaundice. I am not suggesting and I have never suggested that 15,000 people will suddenly be convinced by lawyers to start lodging applications for compensation.