Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

As an initial step, the Government agreed that a facilitator will be appointed to consult stakeholders on scoping the content of potential terms of reference for an inquiry. This scoping exercise is designed to ensure that when a public inquiry is established, it has structures and parameters that reflect the needs of children and families of patients, are grounded in evidence and avoid duplicatio…

I have not.

Yes.

No, they start now.

I am sorry if the Deputy cannot follow it, but they start now.

I will address a number of issues and questions that Deputies raised. We take the same approach to both inquiries, with the appointment of a facilitator specifically to engage with the different groups. That request has been socialised and agreed with the different groups, which includes Dignity4Patients on the Michael Shine side and eight groups on the scoliosis side. There are different views am…

I was very pleased to meet with Eric, Emily, Niamh, David and Oisín. I thank the Deputy for bringing them in. I have already followed up on the different physiotherapy and other supports that should be due to them and to get an assessment of what they should be getting and what they are getting. With regard to the drug, we have a series of different drugs that are coming on stream. The Taoiseach a…

In relation to Swords, I am pleased to announce today €1.4 million in the HSE capital plan to take the premises the Deputy referenced to design feasibility stage, which is positive progress. In relation to a primary care centre in Donabate, we have had to look at other options for delivering it because the tender did not work; it was not value for money for the State to progress with the tender th…

The Deputy is right. What we did in Letterkenny and Sligo was additional, and not instead of. It was not a regional spread but it was additional. That is very important. In relation to diabetes, the Deputy is right that there is a very good hub, the Benbulbin hub in Sligo, dealing with diabetes, respiratory and cardiology. What we want to see is that replicated in other parts of the country, such…

Hear, hear.

We did read it.

It did not say that.

It does not say that.

I thank the Deputy for raising this on World Cancer Day and thank him for continuing to be an advocate for cancer patients across the island. As the Deputy has said, he and I could speak about this for a good hour and not get through all of the different issues. We are well aware that every person in this room and the people whom we represent are impacted by cancer in their families, in their bro…

I am here for the public system. I am here to invest in the public system and to champion the public system. A total of 80% of our cancer care gets delivered through the public system and that is my focus. The Deputy is correct to highlight the replacement programme in St. Luke's. I have updated the Deputy that there is a replacement equipment supply commencing in quarter 1, with a contractor in …

That is not right.

You opposed it. Then you go looking for votes at the same houses you objected to.

It is disgraceful.

None of those families would be living there if it was down to you.

It is true.

I will happily list them out.

I will happily list them out.

It is about his record as a TD.

Keep going.

Not on First Stage.