Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

As a member of the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions committee, I welcome the work done by the Office of the Ombudsman on the recent report entitled, A Good Death. The Ombudsman took the view that, on foot of the complaints his office had received from families concerning events that had occurred in hospitals at the time of the deaths of patients and so on, that while, in the first instance, his office had dealt with these complaints, that he would write a report examining the broader elements of what might be improved as regards end-of-life care in hospitals, particularly acute hospitals. When he appeared before the joint committee yesterday, he said he wants in the future to use his office as an educational tool, not only as a place where complaints were received. This is a good example of how his office takes on board the experiences, stories and pain of those who come to share what has happened to them and, in his own words, say to him: "We do not want this to happen to other people; we want you to sort it out." I commend him for his work. Given that a report has also been completed by the Joint Committee on Health and Children on end-of-life care, I ask the Leader if we could have a debate to press the Department of Health to draw up some of the guidelines that are and should be urgently required by hospitals to give greater support and encouragement to those dealing with end-of-life cases in hospitals when it can be very difficult for hard-pressed staff to know what is the right thing to do.

I say "Hello" to our guests in the Visitors Gallery and that they have our full support. Like Senator Cáit Keane, I assure them that we will do our bit to make sure they wil continue to be supported in the way they ought to be.