The Tánaiste will be aware of the tragic case of little Roisin Ruddle — go ndéanfaidh Dia trócaire uirthi — 15 months ago. Following that tragic case where that child was sent home from Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin, the Minister for Health and Children set up an independent inquiry to review a report which was conducted by the health board. Neither report has been published.
We now have another circumstance where two children have been sent home, one of whom, I understand, was gowned and ready for surgery. This is appalling and God forbid that anything will happen to either of those two children or any other child in this circumstance.
I put it to the Tánaiste that the Government of which she is a part has not learned any lesson in the past 15 months. Both the internal report and the departmental report should be published forthwith. Will the Tánaiste give an assurance to the parents of children all over the country that unlike the last time when the Government said it would take steps to ensure this would never happen again, that she, as Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, will deal with this matter today and explain to the House why it is that a child waiting and gowned for surgery was suddenly sent home?
This is simply not good enough. It means the Government in which she is the Minister for Health and Children has not learned any lesson in the past 15 months. Will she ensure these two reports are published, explain the circumstances of what happened here and make arrangements so this will not happen again?