Opposition demands Tallaght debate

THERE WAS UPROAR in the Dáil and the House was suspended for a time amid repeated Opposition demands for a debate about reports of thousands of unopened referral letters from GPs to consultants at Tallaght hospital.

The latest revelations follow the controversy about the failure by consultant radiologists to review more than 57,000 patient X-rays over a four-year period.

However, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan warned against making judgments before an independent investigation into the situation at Tallaght hospital was completed.

She told the Dáil that some of the facts were in dispute and all issues were under investigation.

The hospital’s chief executive officer had met senior Department of Health officials, and she insisted, to repeated heckling and interruptions, “we will await the outcome of the investigation so that we can establish the facts”.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny had demanded a late sitting of the Dáil yesterday to debate the “latest catastrophe that has befallen us here in the area of health”.

He said there were “reports of literally thousands of letters unopened from GPs that have been written in referral of patients to consultants in Tallaght hospital. This goes beyond the reading of X-rays by radiologists. These referrals may in fact refer to much more serious or prevalent conditions for many of those people.”

Mr Kenny also criticised Minister for Health Mary Harney, and warned that “if the Taoiseach decides to reappoint this Minister to the Department of Health we will move a motion of no confidence against her”.

He described the latest controversy as the “ultimate classic example of lack of accountability in this House from the political process”.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore described the situation and the Minister’s absence in New Zealand as “an absolute scandal”.

“People go to their doctor, their doctor refers them to a hospital, and the hospital doesn’t even open the letter. And even when they do get the X-rays, the consultant radiologist doesn’t even see the X-rays, and there are 14,000 patients whose X-rays have still not been looked at by a consultant radiologist. And where’s the Minister for Health? She is on a two-week journey to New Zealand to celebrate St Patrick.”

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who said the Minister should be recalled from New Zealand, also hit out at the medical profession. “Where were the consultants who have not carried out their work? What were they doing when they weren’t reading 58,000 X-rays or reading letters of referrals from GPs? We’re paying them. We want to know what have they been doing.”

Ms Coughlan said “you cannot form a judgment unless you have all the facts of the situation. Other new facts have arisen yesterday evening.” She said the HSE was conducting an investigation, and once completed “then changes that have to be made, will be made”.