Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I rise again today to raise a very serious matter about my local hospital and that of the Acting Leader, Naas General Hospital. It is the second time in just over a year that "RTÉ Investigates" has disclosed horrific allegations of sexual abuse of patients by medical professionals who were working in the hospital. In last night's case, it was outlined that a doctor who worked at Naas General Hospital was removed from the Irish medical register in 2015 after two patients alleged they were sexually assaulted by him. The allegations relate to a doctor who was found guilty of professional misconduct by the Irish Medical Council.

Naas General Hospital has apologised for the way it communicated with the two patients in the aftermath of their complaints. In a statement to "RTÉ Investigates", Naas General Hospital said on the day it received the first complaint the hospital convened a serious incident review meeting and decided to suspend the doctor from duty with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a trust-in-care process. The hospital went on to say that the doctor has never returned to work since his suspension. Last night's programme outlined that An Garda Síochána is currently carrying out an ongoing criminal investigation and it is co-operating with Interpol and other police authorities.

Last year, "RTÉ Investigates" also revealed three separate investigations were under way into a series of complaints of suspected sexual abuse of unconscious patients by another doctor at Naas General Hospital. Those allegations involved up to four patients. Again, I thank Aoife Hegarty and "RTÉ Investigates" for their work in highlighting these important and very worrying matters.

I want to pay tribute as well to the young man referred to in the programme last night as "Ryan" for his bravery in coming forward in what must have been a very difficult investigation and a very difficult time for him and his family. I ask the Acting Leader to arrange a debate in this House with the Minister for Health on hospital safety. We must be able to assure patients that when they are at their most vulnerable from a health point of view, the professionals treating them care for them as they are supposed to do.

I welcome the news from yesterday that the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, has been allowed to affiliate with ICTU, albeit on a temporary, two-year basis. This is very good news for the members of PDFORRA, allowing its representatives to partake in the forthcoming pay talks. This opportunity must also be extended to the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO. I hope we all get the chance to raise this important point again with the Minister for Defence when he is next in this House. We have all called for a debate on the report of the commission. The Acting Leader and colleagues throughout the House have done so. I ask that such a debate would be convened in the quickest possible time.