Families repeat demand for complaints inquiry

FAMILIES whose members were treated by the disgraced former Killaloe GP Dr Paschal Carmody attended a meeting with the Minister for Health last evening at which they reiterated their demand for a full inquiry into the Medical Council’s complaints procedures.

Patient Focus spokes-woman Sheila O’Connor said Health Minister Micheál Martin had told them that such an inquiry was not possible as the matter was currently under investigation by the garda authorities.

“We would not want to see anything jeopardise this garda investigation, but I don’t accept what the minister says. After all, it’s not the Medical Council that is being investigated by the gardaí,” she said.

The minister was also asked to order the Medical Council to hand over to gardaí all its files in relation to inquiries it held into Dr Carmody.

Last week, The Medical Council said it was handing over to gardaí its files on two recent complaints against Dr Carmody.

No decision has been made to pass on files in relation to other previous complaints against the doctor.

The garda investigation is focusing on both Dr Carmody and former eye surgeon, Dr William Porter, and the costly alternative treatments for cancer patients at their mid-west clinic, which involved a controversial light-based treatment known as cyto-luminescent therapy.