The leaking of some information from the Scally Report before the women and families most affected could be briefed was wrong. The report concerned a very sensitive issue touching on the lives of women, some of whom are very ill, and of families, some of whom are grieving a devastating bereavement.
The leaking of this information was done without any regard to the interests of the families and the women concerned and frustrated the plans that had been put in place to have Dr. Scally brief the women and families and patients’ representatives at the same time as the Cabinet meeting and ahead of the publication of the report.
The matter is being investigated by a senior official who did not receive a copy of the report in advance of its publication, and I do not wish to pre-empt the investigation by attempting at this stage to answer questions which will have to be considered as part of that investigation.