Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I watched last night's interview with Praveen Halappanavar. When we see a man having to share his grief in a public way and going through the last moments of his wife's life with a nation, then we know something is awry. This man should be allowed to have his grief in private. It is not the normal way to have to be on television explaining everything that happened and justifying his position. I find this deeply offensive. At this point, we need for him to have clarity and comfort and for that to happen in a wise way. The only way is for the Minister for Health to consider an independent public inquiry. As I said yesterday, there must have been a paper trail and some sort of local risk review group put in place after Savita's death. In two weeks Mr. Halappanavar heard nothing from the hospital, by which, of course, he is amazed and surprised. I am too. That a woman could die this way and there is a silence about it does not seem correct. I am asking for an independent public inquiry in order that no one else will have to go through what Mr. Halappanavar had to do last night. He said, in his own generosity, he was doing it for others. I believe him. The Minister for Health must explain where the local risk review group's report is. That report must have taken place in the days after Savita's death.