John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

With no disrespect to the individuals involved, Ireland is small and so too is our medical community. With approximately 2,000 consultants, it is well known that it is notoriously difficult whenever any medical-legal issue arises in Ireland to get an Irish doctor to give any testimony about any other Irish doctor because there is a better than batting average chance they have been in medical school together or know each other from a professional society. With no disrespect to Galway, there are 122 consultants in the medical community there, three of whom are on the investigative panel. It is simply not credible that these people do not have an extensive network of professional, and probably social, connections with some of the people whose actions they may be directly or indirectly investigating and adjudicating on. It is wrong and inappropriate that it has been set up in this way.

The argument that has been advanced is that it is necessary to have them on the panel to explain the procedures, standards and protocols which are in place at the hospital in question. Again, this is simply not credible. If I wanted to get all parliamentary and glib here, I would draw certain parallels with other situations of investigation where people should not be on an investigative panel. Out of respect to my colleagues, however, I will not do it.

It is singularly inappropriate that these three persons are on this panel. All of the evidence and information concerning the standards in Galway could be and should be sought from testimonial witnesses, not by members of the investigative panel.