Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In February, this House unanimously passed a motion to the effect that a non-HSE parent representative be appointed to the HSE primary care national steering group for children with complex medical needs. The HSE has disregarded the will of the Seanad and proceeded with sidelining parents from this decision-making process. The HSE wants to set up a reference group, a proposal which this House and, more important, the parental stakeholders involved, explicitly rejected. Participation is a no-brainer. There have been many scandals and fatal events in this country. This most recent horrific cover-up would not have been possible if there had been stakeholders, service-users, at the table. They would be much more responsible and less interested in protecting their careers because they would be responding to the people of this country and, in this instance, to their children's needs. We must have service-user participation at the table. If the Minister, Deputy Harris, is serious about change in the HSE and addressing the toxic environment of secrecy therein, he needs to allow parental stakeholders to represent their children. Following on from the letters sent to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independent Members of the Dáil and Seanad by the head of operations providing the same bland response about a parental group, I hope they will all stand up for change in the HSE and that this will commence with looking after children with complex needs.