Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

Senator Alex White, who can be reflective in his comments in the Seanad, is being disingenuous in trying to suggest that responsibility for the debacle that is our economic mismanagement of recent years rests with civil servants. The reports bear testimony to the fact that responsibility rested with the then Minister for Finance, An Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen. There is no escaping this reality. I draw the House's attention to the first line of the executive summary of one of the key reports, which reads: "Ireland's banking crisis bears the clear imprint of global influences, yet it was in crucial ways 'homemade'". No one disputes the first point, but the second is important and is borne out in both reports.

Will the Leader request the Minister for Health and Children to make a statement, as distinct from a debate, to the House on the horrendous recent situation of mothers' mistaken scans? Her statement must outline to the House the corrective measures that will be taken to ensure double checks whenever there is any doubt. There must be objective testing to ensure the mistake does not recur. As has already been done, we can only applaud and congratulate those women on their bravery. This situation comes on foot of the horrendous hysterectomy scandal in the north-east region. That there was such a case in Drogheda is particularly sad and poignant. I appeal to the Leader to assure the House that the Minister will make a specific statement to those women and to the women of Ireland on this issue outlining what will be done.