Taoiseach cannot say when Portlaoise report will be published

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he cannot indicate when the Portlaoise hospital report will be published.

“It would be wrong to publish what is a draft report, and this is a matter that needs to be dealt with clearly, taking into account the responsibilities of the HSE and the independence of Hiqa,’’ he added.

He told the Dáil on Tuesday that Minister for Health Leo Varadkar had affirmed Hiqa’s absolute independence publicly.

Mr Kenny was replying to Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin, who said it could be a very defining moment for Hiqa’s independence and capacity to investigate without being emasculated or undermined.

Earlier, on his way into Cabinet the Taoiseach said two organisations using public money should not be in “court situations”.

He said Minister for Health Leo Varadkar was correct to say he expected the HSE and Hiqa to sort out their differences without resorting to the law.

“I hope now that the processes he has put in place will result in differences being ironed out and the report being published,” Mr Kenny said.

The controversial draft report into baby deaths at Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise makes more than 250 “adverse findings or inferences” affecting senior figures in the Health Service Executive, the Department of Health and the State Claims Agency.