Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 29: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on progress to date in implementing the Lourdes Hospital Inquiry Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21308/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Report of the Lourdes Hospital Inquiry was published on 28th February last. Since the publication of the report, I have met with many of the key stakeholders including Patient Focus, the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Medical Council, and the management and medical board of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. I have listened carefully to the views of these bodies on the recommendations in the report.

The Report of the Inquiry highlighted the urgent need for change and reform in our hospitals and particularly in the area of clinical governance. The recommendations in the report underline the importance of the approach being taken by my Department in a number of areas: the preparation of the new Medical Practitioners Bill which I intend, subject to Government approval, to bring to the House later this year; the new contract for hospital consultants, which is urgently needed for the recruitment of many more consultants. The report will help to inform the continued approach of my Department to these very important issues.

The Inquiry also made a series of recommendations of an operational and service nature, the implementation of which is a matter for the HSE. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.