Calls for ‘whistleblower’ laws after Neary report

CALLS for criminal prosecutions and a system of redress for victims were chief among the demands of opposition parties yesterday as the Government published the Lourdes hospital inquiry report.

Reacting to the report last night, Fine Gael health spokesman Liam Twomey, meanwhile, criticised the decision of Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney not to introduce whistleblowers’ legislation for health staff.

“It is clear that were it not for the brave actions of a midwife at the hospital in 1998, this practice would not have emerged. This raises the necessity of whistleblowers’ legislation to protect staff within the health services who act on behalf of patients.

“The report states that the matron who raised concerns in 1978/79 was ‘afraid’ to speak out further once her concerns were not heeded. As a result, the practice continued for 20 further years,” he said.

To reiterate his point, Dr Twomey pointed to the report’s finding that “good, hardworking, decent people can unwittingly enable bad practice when support and safety systems are not in place”.

Labour health spokeswoman Liz McManus said Judge Maureen Harding Clark’s report was “one of the most shocking and disturbing accounts of medical failure and indeed abuse in the history of the State”.

“Given the irreparable damage done to so many women, there is surely a case for criminal prosecutions.

“The issue of redress for the women who were mutilated in this way must now be an absolute priority for the Government,” she said.

Ms McManus also called for whistleblowers’ legislation.

Green Party health spokesman John Gormley said Government apologies would ring hollow unless they were followed up by action.

“The victims of Dr Neary have always asked for the setting up of a Redress Board to deal with these matters and so far the Government has not conceded to this request. In the light of this report it is now time to change this stance.

“These women have suffered terrible trauma, victims not just of Dr Neary but the culture of arrogance and fear within the hospital system,” he said.

Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin called for an immediate redress scheme to be set up.

“The minister owes a solemn obligation to the women victims to establish a scheme of redress,” he said.