PAC seeks out Grace whistleblower to help them identify failings in HSE evidence
Tony O’Brien, the director general of the HSE, has until tomorrow to respond in writing to the committee in order to correct the record about “inaccurate” information given to the committee.
He has agreed to go back before the committee next week to address those errors.
The Irish Examiner understands several members of the committee have sought the whistleblower’s guidance as to where the HSE’s evidence to the PAC conflicts with what it said to the authors of the two internal reports into the scandal.
The PAC has sought answers from Mr O’Brien on a range of issues including the botched issuing of an apology to Grace and her carers, which was the subject of Irish Examiner reports last year.
Initially, the HSE rebutted our stories which carried testimony from the whistleblowers that no apology had been given.
It later admitted there had been a mistake in the manner in which the apology for the failure in care to Grace.
PAC member, Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald, has said she is very concerned that Mr O’Brien has given inaccurate or misleading information to the committee in respect of the Conal Devine report into Grace’s case.
She also has raised issues with what he claimed was a Garda insistence that reports could not be published and disciplinary actions could not be taken against HSE staff on the instruction or advice of the gardaí.
“I am very concerned that Mr O’Brien was not complete in the information he gave to the committee.
"I am concerned also that misleading information has been given to the committee in respect of those staff who were responsible for keeping Grace in that foster home and I want him to clarify that for the committee,” she said.
She has asked is it the case that one or all of those responsible still work within the public sector.
“I am concerned that the allegation — and it has not been refuted — is that what we have witnessed here is what has been described as a clique of HSE managers protecting themselves and the system at the expense of vulnerable children and young adults.
"At every stage, Mr O’Brien was at the helm of the HSE, and it strikes me that he came before the committee and gave, at the very least, incomplete information.
"This does nothing to build confidence in him and in the discharge of his duties, if he does not mind my saying so. It is not acceptable for him to come before an Oireachtas committee and behave in that way.”
One of the whistleblowers at the heart of the Grace scandal has called on Health Minister Simon Harris to correct what she has called misleading information, given on television last weekend.
“It’s a matter of public record — 11 people are under investigation (Tusla&HSE) following Devine Report publication [one of two internal HSE reports on Grace scandal],” she tweeted to Mr Harris.
“There were crucial decisions over many yrs. Some people involved in various decisions continue in HSE and Tusla.”
The whistleblower then accused the minister of giving a “flawed narrative” into what happened to Grace, saying as minister he should know the truth.
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