Mattie McGrath: Warns Garda Roster Will Leave Areas Uncovered
Mattie McGrath addressed the Dáil about urgent policing and patient-safety concerns, criticising Garda roster changes and calling for full publication of clinical reports. He warned the new roster and the disbanding of units risk leaving towns and cities without cover and urged external review and transparency on paediatric surgical outcomes.
Garda roster concerns
McGrath said almost 99 per cent of GRA members voted no confidence in the Commissioner and criticised the minister's backing for an extra roster. He said the roster reduces guaranteed cover by about 20 per cent and accused the Commissioner of pursuing changes that could leave large areas without policing.
Impact on local policing
The speech highlighted local impacts including the disbanding of drug units, community policing in Clonmel and special units, which McGrath described as being sacrificed to fill a paper roster. He said a Chief Superintendent in Tipperary has filled out rosters on paper despite not having the personnel, leaving the public alarmed and Gardaí at risk.
Patient safety review at Temple Street
McGrath also raised concerns about paediatric orthopaedic surgery at Temple Street and noted a comprehensive patient safety review is now under way overseen by the HSC and its Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Colm Henry. An external reviewer from the UK, Mr Nyagam from a Liverpool hospital, has been commissioned to examine clinical outcomes after apparent higher-than-normal postoperative complications and infections in complex spinal surgery.
Reports and publication
He noted two key CHI reports — an internal report and an external report completed by Boston Children's Hospital — have not been published and that CHI instead issued a combined interpretation. The Government has insisted that CHI publish both reports in full and publication was expected imminently.
Ministerial engagement and next steps
McGrath recorded that the Minister for Health will seek to make himself available to answer questions next week and that the external reviewer will meet patient representatives and families. He also noted the Commissioner is due to meet Garda representative bodies to try to make progress on the roster issue.
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On behalf of my group, I think it is a shame that neither the teacher could turn up today after our recess, I think it tells a lot what they think of this House. I want to raise the serious issue in relation to the Gardaí, and we want to debate on this issue in this House. Almost 99 per cent, almost unanimous, of the GRA members voted no conifes than the Commissioner. It is still stubbornly supported by the Minister McEntee, going ahead with the extra roster, which is going to have 20 per cent less guarantee in any place. It effectively means there will be areas in the country and cities and towns with no cover whatsoever. Disbanding of drug units, disbanding of community policing, which is happening in Clonmel as I speak, disbanding of special units, to fill up a paper exercise, where the Chief Superintendent in Tipperary and Nenas are clear now, has filled out a paper box thinking, that he has Gardaí filled his roster, when he has not, and he knows he has not, and the public are alarmed, and Gardaí's lights will be put in danger by this Commissioner, it is reckless. Deputy Shortall. I would like to shed some light on the issues that have been raised, if I can. I know the Minister for Health isn't here, I have been in contact with him, and he is more than willing to make himself available early next week, at the earliest opportunity, to take questions in the Dáil. I don't think he is going to be able to be back by tomorrow, given the commitments that he has already given in New York, but he is anxious to be back to answer questions, but I would like to answer some of those questions if I can now, particularly the issue of the reports. Firstly, I want to extend my sympathy to patients and many of the families that have been impacted, but I am more than aware that they are not looking for sympathy from me, they are looking for answers. Some of the parents that I have heard speak on media in the last 48 hours have used terms like sickened, disgusted, angry, but perhaps most importantly frightened, in terms of the treatment that their children may have received. We have an obligation now to, as comprehensively as we can, put all of the information in the public domain and to work with families to make sure that we forge a way forward that gives them reassurance. A comprehensive patient safety review and assurance process overseen by the HSC and its Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Colm Henry, is now underway at Temple Street, into elements of the paediatric orthopaedic surgery service there. The HSC has commissioned a UK expert, Mr. Nyagam, who is from the hospital in Liverpool, to lead an external review following identification of a number of specific clinical and patient safety concerns. These concerns related to clinical outcomes of some complex spinal surgery, including what appears to be a higher than normal incidence of post-operative complications and infections, and too serious surgical incidents. It is important to say that we do not have all the facts at this point in time, but we do need to establish them. That is what this external review will do, and the Medical Council will also be involved. There have been two key reports by CHI to date that have been referred to by the deputies. One internal and one external, completed by Boston Children's Hospital. Neither has been published. Instead, CHI published a combined report, which is CHI's interpretation of the two existing reports. I do not believe that that is good enough, nor does the Government. The Government has insisted that CHI publish both reports in full, and they will do so. I hope as soon as today, but if not today, certainly very shortly after. But I hope that will happen this evening. Thank you, Minister. In addition, the Minister for Health has asked that the external reviewer looks at the wider paediatric orthopaedic service, and looks at governance and other operational matters across the entire service. The Minister will be meeting with the reviewer, Mr Nyagam, shortly, and Mr Nyagam will also, of course, be meeting with patients' representatives and families before we proceed further. Deputy Pringle, you wanted to come in very brief. Deputy Pringle, sorry. On the Guards, Deputy, if I could answer... Sorry, I will be much briefer on this, Deputy. On the Guards, the Commissioner is meeting the Guard of representative bodies tomorrow, and I hope we will be able to make some progress on the roster issue leading from those meetings. from those meetings.
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