Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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394. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department has received legal advice requested by her predecessor in September 2024 from the Attorney General in relation to the publication of the 'Drogheda Review' undertaken by Judge TC Smyth in 2009; the date on which the formal advice was received by her Department from the Attorney General; if she will outline her next steps on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14796/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In October 2009, the Minister for Health and Children announced the establishment of an independent non-statutory review - the “Drogheda Review”.

The purpose of the review was to advise on whether a further investigation into the procedures and practices at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda during the period 1964 to 1995 would be of significant public benefit in helping to improve best practice guidelines and policies. The review was carried out by retired High Court Judge T.C. Smyth.

Judge Smyth submitted his report to the then Minister in September 2010. The report recommended that a further investigation should not be held and that, in order to avoid prejudicing any civil or criminal cases, the report should not be published. A short summary of the report was, however, prepared and supplied to the patient support groups in January 2011.

In order to ensure that the publication does not adversely impact those who contributed to the report, or undermine future civil or criminal cases, legal advice has been sought on the matter of publishing the report. This legal advice has not yet been received by my Department.