Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received a list of persons from an organisation (details supplied) who would have the necessary expertise to carry out an investigation into the practice of symphsiotomy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45558/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Joint Committee of Health and Children also wrote to my Department recently on behalf of the Survivors of Symphysiotomy to request a review and I explained to the Committee that the position regarding a review remains unchanged.

The Committee has subsequently written to me with the names of four individuals supplied by Survivors of Symphysiotomy's legal advisors who they believe have the necessary expertise to report on this issue.

The Irish Human Rights Commission was requested some time ago by a patient advocacy group to conduct an Inquiry into matters relating to the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland from the 1950s up to 1983. Having considered the matter in some detail the Commission decided against conducting such an Inquiry under the Human Rights Commission Act, 2000.

The Commission recommended that I review a previous decision not to establish an external review of the practice. Significant efforts had been made previously by the Department's Chief Medical Officer, via the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and through international contacts, to source a suitable reviewer. Progress was made in identifying and sourcing a suitable candidate who later became unavailable due to work commitments. However, the Survivors of Symphysiotomy, another patient support group, subsequently expressed reservations over the choice of reviewer. Thereafter it did not prove possible to source an independent expert. My Department remains in correspondence with the Commission in relation to the matter and will give priority consideration to the letter from the Joint Committee in that context.