Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Given all the discussion about the lack of confidence in our political process, could we have a debate on building confidence in it? Such a debate could touch on issues such as these scandals, how they are investigated when allegations are made and what intermediate processes are in place whereby parties and Oireachtas committees can look into what happened. We could then arrive at a finding in a more sane way rather than engaging in the tribal politics that emerges the minute a person gets some dirt on somebody from the other side.

I support the calls for further inquires into the matter of symphysiotomy. I found the "Prime Time" documentary difficult to watch and it is odd that if there is to be an inquiry, it would be left to the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists alone. While the institute has good people, when the profession of good people is involved, they can be prone to be defensive. Given everything we have learned from various scandals, it would be good if there was something not too emotive where patients and their doctors are listened to respectfully and where we try in an honest way to come to a precise assessment of what happened and an understanding of the reasons behind what happened without undue recrimination.