John Crown (Independent)

Yes. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Health to clarify the situation. I believe he was honestly misinformed. We now know that the 20% versus 5% figure is wholly unsafe. Dr. Jennifer Martin of the Department of Health, at the Joint Committee on Health and Children on 8 December, stated that they had originally, while looking at HIPE data - which are not data designed to assess the quality of care - to see that if the data keeping was good, noticed this unusually high mortality rate which alarmed them. This, evidently, was communicated to the Minister who was making the decision about Roscommon. Dr. Martin then stated in the meeting on 8 December that when they re-reviewed the data, they were reassured. I have seen data from Roscommon; they were wrong. It may well be right or it may well be wrong-----