Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Monageer report. Some of the comments made by previous speakers were inaccurate. In our locality, people who know the undertaker regard her as a person of the highest calibre who runs a tremendously professional service. By contacting the Garda, she did the responsible and correct thing and I would not like anybody to imply criticism of failure to go elsewhere.

With regard to the recommendation in the report alluded to by others, this unfortunate tragedy had no relationship whatsoever to out-of-hours services. Contact was made during the normal working day. The undertaker reported it to the Garda during the working day and the report states a social worker would not have been the correct intervention for the situation that, unfortunately, unfolded. It would have required a psychiatrist. There is every possibility that even with that intervention the unfortunate tragedy would have not have been averted.

With regard to the redacted portions, we should accept that for legal reasons parts of the report had to be redacted but it is important that the redacted portions are available to the Department and to the Minister to interpret and act upon. That should be done, and we should refrain from trying to make political points about these issues. I extend my sympathy to both families on what was a most unfortunate tragedy.

I join Senator Leyden in wishing our usher, Mick Phelan, well. Everybody will testify that Mick is a gentleman. He has given tremendous service in these Houses for 27 years. He served in the Army for 21 years. In many ways he epitomises the courtesy and helpfulness all Members receive from the ushers. I am sure everybody will join with me in wishing him well in his retirement.