Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Carlow-Kilkenny · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“There is nothing any of us in this House can say that can undo the pain, harm and loss experienced by those young boys, their families and the communities in which they lived, played basketball and worked. They have had to endure a lifetime of harm, many of them carrying their suffering in silence.”
“We are listening to you, we are learning and we are acting. All of us in this House have a responsibility to ensure that our child safeguarding systems are robust. We must ensure that if concerns are raised today, they are acted on without delay.”
“Today is a profoundly important and solemn day. I want to add my voice to the full and formal State apology and to acknowledge the courage, dignity and perseverance of those survivors who fought for truth and accountability for so many years.”
“I thank the Deputy for highlighting this very important issue and the 161 recommendations. First, I thank the Joint Committee on Drug Use for its work. I welcomed the report and I am in agreement with many of its recommendations. As the Deputy will be aware, earlier this year I published a draft of the national drugs strategy.”
“The Bill and the secondary legislation, training and clinical protocols that will follow it will support the terms and conditions for this service, as laid out in the community pharmacy agreement. All secondary legislation will be in place before commencement and launch of this measure.”
“No. I thank the Deputy again for her work on the drugs committee. The vast majority of the 161 recommendations will be in the new drugs strategy but one of the recommendations was on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. It falls under section 3. That legalises drugs. It is important we tell the people of the concern.”
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“Section 4 provides for the repeal of certain sections of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2024, which have been replaced in this Bill. Section 5 provides for a review of the operation of the provision of this Bill. Part 2 of the Bill contains sections 6 to 12 and relates to the amendment of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002. Section 6 amends section 2 of the 2002 Act and sets out the definitions relevant to this Part. Section 7 amends section 5 of the 2002 Act on penalties to include the new offences created by this Bill. Section 8 amends section 48 of the 2002 Act to include powers in relation to nicotine consumption products into the existing powers of authorised officers of the national environmental health service.”
“Before I take the House through the sections of the Bill, I would like to take this opportunity to remind us all of Ireland's obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Under Article 5.3 of that convention, Ireland is required to protect its public health policy from the commercial or other vested interests of the tobacco industry. I will now take the House through the Bill to outline the content of each section. Part 1 deals with preliminary and general issues and contains sections 1 to 5. Section 1 is a standard provision for the Title, citation and commencement of the Bill. Section 2 defines terms including other Acts that are referred to in the Bill. Section 3 is a standard section that provides for the expenses incurred in the operation of the Bill.”
“This legislation is also proposed at the same time as significant investment in free, safe and effective stop-smoking support. Funding for the HSE quit programme has almost doubled since 2021, to over €20 million in 2025. This includes the roll-out of free stop-smoking medicines to anyone accessing the HSE quit service, with €2.9 million provided in 2025. The HSE has also recruited 48 new stop-smoking advisers and more than doubled the number of clinics in the country since 2022. This combination of medicine and behavioural support is recognised as the most effective way to quit smoking, and we will continue to look at ways to increase access to this life-saving support. We are also reviewing our national tobacco control policy to determine the best pathway to a truly tobacco-free Ireland.”
“From this data, it does not appear that vaping is substituting for smoking in our population. In addition, one out of six adults who use e-cigarettes has never smoked. Research on our Healthy Ireland survey data also shows us that in 2015 the dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes was linked to a high intention to quit and attempts to quit smoking but that by 2023 this link had disappeared in all age groups. The measures in this Bill are designed to reduce our young people's use of these products while ensuring that they remain available for use by adults who smoke. The review section in the Bill and the powers for the Minister for Health to alter the list of prescribed flavours means that we can monitor the effects of the legislation and respond quickly if needed.”
“The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and I have repeatedly called for that proposal to be published as soon as possible. I repeat that today. I am asking the European Commission to publish its plan for a revised directive as soon as possible. I also join the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, in promising that Ireland will do all that it can to progress the directive, if the proposal is received during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU. That is really important for us. This Bill was developed in recognition that most adults who use vapes formerly smoked and that some people who wish to quit smoking have used vapes as part of that attempt to quit. Unfortunately, the benefits of this approach are not showing in our population. Our smoking rates have remained at the same level since 2019 despite increases in our vaping levels.”
“Regulation of the way that current and future nicotine consumption products are sold in our country can be done effectively in national law. The regulation of the products themselves would, of course, be most effective if it was introduced at EU level. A revision of the EU tobacco products directive which is the relevant EU law is long overdue. EU-wide measures on current and future nicotine-inhaling products and nicotine-consumption products would ensure that the measures in each country are supported because the ability to purchase from another member state with different product specifications would no longer exist. An evaluation report from the European Commission on the directive was recently published. The next step is the publication of a proposal for a revised directive.”
“The Bill creates a new category of products called nicotine consumption products. This category includes pouches and any other product for the recreational consumption of nicotine, other than tobacco, nicotine inhaling products and medical products. By creating this new category, the Bill is future-proofed and any new products for the recreational consumption of nicotine will automatically fall under its provisions. Current and future nicotine consumption products will be prohibited for sale to persons under the age of 18. In addition, the display of these products at the point of sale in our general stores will be prohibited and advertising of these products in-store will be banned in all retail outlets.”
“It will also restrict the flavours for sale and will prohibit all flavour descriptors and language other than basic flavour names. This is to eliminate the marketing potential of the use of child-friendly flavour names. The point-of-sale display and advertising of these products in everyday supermarkets and convenience stores will also be prohibited so that our children are not exposed to these products in their everyday life. It will also make it clear that these products are not the same as ordinary grocery goods. The European schools survey project found that nearly 4% of our 15- to 16- year-olds used nicotine pouches in the last 30 days. Evidence is not yet available on the possible effects of these products, therefore the only harm that is known is that these products contain nicotine.”
“While this shows an encouraging reduction in experimentation and current use, it is the increase in daily use which this Bill is designed to address. The European school survey also found that 3% were currently using nicotine pouches. Although this figure is low, it is important that we act now to prevent its increase. To make nicotine-inhaling products less attractive to our young people, the Bill will restrict the colours and imagery on packaging and on the devices themselves. The Bill will ban the sale of devices resembling or functioning as other products such as toys or games. This is to ensure that the Irish market does not see the evolution of these products into multi-use devices with features that would specifically attract young people.”
“Our 2022 health behaviour in school-aged children study found that 90% of the 12- to 17-year-old children have used an e-cigarette at least once. This is a decrease from 22% on 2018. In the same survey 13% reported that they had used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days, which is an increase from 9% in 2018. This data shows that the gap between ever using and use in the past 30 days has narrowed, suggesting that more children may be converting from experimentation to regular use. The 2024 European school survey project on alcohol and other drugs of 15- to 16-year-olds found that 16% were current vape users which is a decrease from 18% in 2019. Some 32% were found to have tried vapes in 2024 which is down from 39% in 2019. Daily use of vapes in 2024 was recorded at 7% which is up from 5% in 2019.”
“While it is a very important achievement that smoking rates among children have reduced to 5% from frighteningly higher levels in the past, we all agree that our aim should be to bring this down to 0%. Tackling tobacco head on is necessary to ensure that we reach our smoking-free goal for adults and children. However, regulating nicotine products is also important to ensure that these products do not contribute to an increase in smoking prevalence among our young people. There are many concerns about the continues. Since July 2014 the World Health Organization has recommended that the sale of e-cigarettes to minors should be banned as there is evidence that nicotine may have long-term consequences for brain development. The figures on the use of vapes by our young people are mixed in the trends they are showing.”
“The primary health risk for our children is that the use of nicotine may become an addiction which could lead to tobacco smoking with the absolutely devastating health harms that can cause. While we may all have heard stories or even known someone who had no difficulties with quitting cigarettes, the evidence tells us that around 90% of people who smoke are addicted to nicotine and find it very difficult to overcome that addiction. This is not the future that we want for our young people or for those who do not already smoke. The evidence confirms the risk to young people with a report from our Health Research Board finding that adolescents who vape are more likely to subsequently smoke.”
“I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to be here today to introduce the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill to the House. The purpose of the Bill is to reduce the appeal and accessibility of e-cigarettes, vapes and other nicotine products such as pouches to young people. This Bill and the single-use vapes Bill together with the 2023 Act mean that we will have one of the strongest regulatory frameworks in the EU on these products. According to the current evidence e-cigarettes may be less harmful than tobacco smoking but this does not mean that they are harmless. Our priority with this Bill is to protect the health of our young people and non-smokers by reducing the likelihood that they will take up or continue to use products like vapes.”
“It was launched to provide transparency to patients and industry alike, in addition to two new framework agreements with Medicines for Ireland and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, IPHA, on the supply and pricing of medicines. That has been successfully concluded following extensive engagement and negotiations with our pharmaceutical sector. These agreements will enable faster access to new, innovative medicines for patients. The Senator is right. This is something that needs to be looked at and he can be assured I will definitely speak to the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, on his behalf. I thank him again for raising this matter.”
“I thank the Senator for highlighting the case for the family. As he said, €600 per month is a lot of money. I will definitely go back to the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, on this; I assure the Senator of that. I thank him again. The State has made significant investment into the medicines pricing and reimbursement system since 2024, including funding to recruit an additional 34 staff across the pricing and reimbursement system, which includes an 80% uplift in the number of staff in the NCPE. We also have a pricing and reimbursement medicine tracker now. I am sure the Senator is aware of this.”
“As I mentioned, I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister. Following the submission of both health technology assessments by the applicant, the HTA report on each indication was submitted by the NCPE to the HSE in December 2025 and February 2026. This has been looked at. The corporate pharmaceutical unit in the HSE, which is the point of contact between the HSE and the pharmaceutical industry, has advised that commercial engagements are ongoing and, due to the commercially confidential nature of these engagements, it is not in a position to comment further at this time. As the Senator can see, there is work going on.”
“A second application was submitted in July 2024 for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or those who are overweight and have at least one overweight-related condition. Following the conclusion of a rapid review by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE, for both indications, two health technology assessments, HTAs, were commissioned by the HSE. A HTA is a detailed evaluation of medical technologies, including medicines, to determine their effectiveness, safety, cost efficiency and broader impact on health and the budget of the service. The HTA takes time to evaluate and involves gathering and analysing complex clinical and economic data, consulting stakeholders and aligning with regulatory standards to ensure decisions are evidence based and transparent. I thank the Senator; I have nearly concluded.”
“For a drug to be reimbursed under the community drug scheme, a company must first submit an application to the HSE. Mounjaro is a medication licensed by the European Medicines Agency, EMA, for use alongside diet and physical activity in adults with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes, on its own when metformin is not suitable, or in combination with other diabetes treatments. It is also authorised for weight management in adults with obesity or those who are overweight and have related health conditions. A pricing and reimbursement application for Mounjaro was first submitted by the applicant in January 2024 for the treatment of adults with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes as monotherapy where metformin is not suitable, or in combination with other diabetes treatments.”
“From 2021 to March 2026, this has enabled the HSE to approve reimbursements for 263 new or existing medicines. The long-term illness, LTI, scheme was established under the Health Act 1970 and regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975, prescribing 16 conditions to be covered by the scheme. Under the LTI scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances directly related to treatment of illnesses free of charge. Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of the cost of medicines. The Act provides for a rigorous process for the assessment of new medicines for reimbursement. This ensures the right medicines are chosen and approval is at a sustainable price. That is important.”
“I also welcome the ladies to the House. I spoke to them earlier. I thank Senator Duffy for highlighting this important issue. I am answering on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The State is aware of the importance of access to new medicines for patients and acutely aware of the plight of patients diagnosed with diabetes. There has been significant investment in new medicines in recent years. In 2023, nearly €1 in every €8 of public money spent on health was spent on medicines. This level of investment is unprecedented in supporting patients to access available new innovative medicines. Budgets 2021 to 2025 included dedicated funding for new medicines of €158 million. Budget 2026 allocated an additional €30 million of funding to new drugs.”
“He has been visiting a lot of clubs around the country. It is hoped the grant scheme will be ready. The Minister of State is committed to providing the supports needed to ensure that we have top-class facilities throughout Ireland. It is so important. Everybody's health and well-being is so important. Being active and seeing communities involved in so much sport gives exceptional benefits.”
“As a Minister of State with responsibility for public health and well-being, there is a lot of great work going on in my Department to promote physical activity throughout the country. Under our walking tracks fund, €400,000 was provided to football clubs last year to develop walking tracks in the clubs' grounds to make facilities as accessible as possible for the whole community. Healthy Ireland also provides funding each year to promote physical activity. This includes park runs, which are huge successes and which continue to go from strength, and the active schools' flag programme. Funding is also provided to promote walking football, which I know is a valuable outlet for so many of our older adults who still love the game and want to stay active. I thank the Minister of State for his commitment.”
“This will create full-time coaching roles across the country to provide our most talented young players with the high-performance training they require to fulfil their potential. As the saying goes, "If you can't see it, you can't be it". This is why under the large-scale sports infrastructure fund the Government has ensured there will be equal access to funding and facilities for men and women. Our investment in grassroots girls' programmes, the FAI women's and girls' action plan, and the development of female coaches at all level of the game, reflects our belief that women's football must be supported as a priority. Football is more than just an elite level sport.”
“I hope as many people as possible turn out to support them this weekend in the Aviva Stadium. The Government's commitment to Irish football is reflected in the numbers. From 2020 to 2024, over €71 million was awarded to football-specific projects under the community sports facility fund. A further €52.4 million was directed to football under the large-scale sports infrastructure fund, giving clubs across the country the modern, high-quality facilities they need and they deserve. A total of €6 million per year is provided to the Football Association of Ireland to support football development programmes at every level of the game. In budget 2026, the Government provided a landmark investment into the League of Ireland academies, providing multi-year funding to professionalise all 26 League of Ireland academies.”
“I give particular mention to the football teams, both men's and ladies, at the South East Technological University, SETU. We are blessed to have such an amazing sporting facility in Carlow thanks to SETU. It is also wonderful that the young people in our communities are able to witness such high-quality football being played in our county in such fantastic facilities. We saw how much joy and excitement the Irish team brought to the country recently as they pushed for the World Cup qualification. Sadly, they did not make it but the whole country was behind them. I also mention our Irish women who won last night against Poland. We hope they can recreate their run to the World Cup. We all remember the excitement of seeing them play in the last World Cup in Australia.”
“I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Football is one of Ireland's most popular sports and we as a Government are proud to back it at all levels, from grassroots clubs where our youngest players take their first kick to professional academies that will shape the next generation of our Irish international players. Football is a hugely popular sport in Carlow and I could take up my entire time slot here naming every football club in the county. The work our football clubs do within our community is extremely important. They bring our local communities together for social occasions and for physical activity. Any evening of the week, or any day or at the weekends we see children, young people and adults out training on football pitches across the county.”
“We had people waiting to go to hospital appointments and people waiting to get their cancer treatment and we were making sure there was fuel to get nurses and carers to the homes where they needed to be.”
“The Government is really showing support. It wants to work with our hauliers, our farmers, our agricultural contractors and our bus operators. It is important that people have certainty, particularly those involved in businesses and who are the hardest hit. I know that some are struggling. We all know that. Some people in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny have come to me over the past few days about the cost of heating oil, and that is a concern. This is why it was important to delay the increase in the carbon tax-----”
“We are facing a global crisis in the supply and the cost of fuel. This is the reality here in the Chamber. The situation in Iran is unpredictable. Nobody knows. It is global. The Government did introduce the package aimed at easing the impact of the cost-of-living increases with cuts to excise on fuel and further supports for those to get their fuel allowance. This was only ever going to be the first package of supports, and I welcome the further packages announced by the Government this week. The total package of over €750 million is the largest in the EU.”
“Since 1 June 2025, free HRT has been provided to women experiencing menopause. This is available where it has been prescribed to a woman by a healthcare provider for the purpose of alleviating the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause. We definitely need to go back to the Department and follow this up. As the Senator said, this was brought up last year in the Dáil. The Senator is right that we need to work on this to see how we can bring it further. I thank her again for highlighting this really important issue.”
“As the Senator noted earlier, the HPRA is open to review any applications from a marketing authorisation holder to change the prescription status of melatonin to non-prescription status. That is the first point of call that we need to look. Additionally, the Government recognises that menopause is a key health issue for women in Ireland today. The Senator also referred to neurodivergent children and people with ADHD, which is important to highlight. Much work has been done to drive progress in this area by the women's health task force and the women's health action plans that we are working on. To support women through their menopause journey we have significantly enhanced the supports available to them. As the Senator said, six specialist menopause clinics have been invested in since 2025. These have had their opening hours extended.”
“Once a marketing authorisation has been issued, it is a matter for the marketing authorisation holder to decide whether to make the medicine available in Ireland. It is important to note that other policy measures have been introduced by the Department in recent years to support women through their menopause journey. I know the Senator spoke about them. It is a priority for us in government. The Department of Health will keep the matter under review and will be happy to provide the Senator with a further update, should additional relevant information become available. I will go back to the Minister because we need to get more clarification on this. I thank the Senator again for highlighting this really important issue.”
“The Health Products Regulatory Authority is the agency in Ireland with responsibility for the regulation of medicines for the benefit of patients. The Department of Health engages closely with the HPRA on its remit. It should be noted that the HPRA is open to review any application from a marketing authorisation holder, MAH, to change the prescription status of melatonin to non-prescription status. This is in line with the HPRA policy to make medicines and health products available at the most convenient point of access for people, where it is safe and appropriate to do so, following the evaluation of all relevant data. The Department of Health and the HPRA are not aware of any specific MAH applications that are currently under review.”
“I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, who cannot be here today. I thank the Senator for highlighting a really important issue. It is good that we are talking about this and it very important that we look at the changes that can be made. I will briefly outline some of the details on melatonin. This is most often used to treat insomnia, which is characterised by poor quality of sleep. Melatonin is currently listed in what is called column A of the First Schedule of the prescription and control of supply regulations, SI 540 of 2003. This means that it is a prescription-only medicine that cannot be renewed. In Ireland, all currently authorised melatonin-containing medical products are subject to prescription control.”
“Significant efforts have been made to improve pediatric spinal services across CHI. That work continues. Waiting times are being tackled, capacity is increasing, new pathways of care are being developed and quality improvements are being embedded in every part of the service. I have listened carefully to everything that has been said. I thank all the Senators for their continued engagement on this matter.”
“I know that participating in these processes can be difficult but your insights are essential to shaping inquiries that will lead to real, lasting change. These facilitators will approach their work with care, independence and respect. I am confident that with the engagement of those involved, these inquiries will deliver the understanding, accountability and improvement that families, survivors and the public deserve. I want to acknowledge that although progress is being made, we know that many children are still waiting too long for care. We owe it to children who are still waiting for spinal surgeries and to their families to go further and to do more. Every child deserves to live free of unnecessary pain and delay. That is our goal and we must not stop until we reach it.”
“An inquiry is a tool to identify where systems fail or where they are not yet strong enough. The goal is improvement, accountability and healing. To the families and survivors listening in today, I say that your courage has brought us to this point. Your advocacy has shaped these scoping exercises and your voices will continue to guide what happens next. The Minister is committed to ensuring that each scoping exercise has the independence, the resources and the authority it needs to carry out its work thoroughly and fairly. She is equally committed to ensuring that their recommendations shape real, sustained and meaningful actions. As we move forward, I want to encourage those affected to engage fully and openly with Mr. Farrell and Mr. Staines.”
“They are about learning from the past, acknowledging harm, understanding what went wrong and ensuring that our systems are strong enough, safe enough and compassionate enough to prevent such failures from ever happening again. That is why it so important that these regulations under the Data Protection Act 2018 be passed by the Houses today. The regulations provide the legal basis for facilitators to process personal data, which is essential to these exercises. Without this, the process will not be able to fully scope the issues or what we have to do for the patients, families and victims. We cannot share their lived experience without this. I also want to acknowledge the staff across our health service, whether in CHI, the HSE or hospital or community settings, who work every day with compassion and commitment.”
“They have carried hurt and pain for a very long time and it takes a profound bravery to revisit experiences of harm in order to help shape a system that is safer for others. The appointment of Mr. Lorcan Staines SC and the victim-centred approach to his scoping exercise represents our commitment to ensuring that survivors are treated with dignity, respect and care at every step. That lies at the heart of this. Their well-being is not an afterthought; it is the foundation on which this work will be done. That is something the Senators have highlighted. It is a priority for us. These scoping exercises are about people.”
“Their advocacy has been driven by a desire not just to improve services for their own children but also to ensure to ensure that no family will face the same obstacles, delays or distress in the future. That is what we are working to do. These families came to the Government looking for partnership, honesty and change, and I want to assure them that today their voices are central to the process that is now under way. The appointment of Mr. Remy Farrell SC is an important step, but the most important element will always be the lived experience of the children and families who have faced these challenges. The survivors who came forward through Dignity4Patients have shown immense courage.”
“These inquiries are timely about individuals, children, parents, families and survivors. That is what it is all about. On behalf of the Department and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I assure Senators that this is centred on the children, the parents, the family and the survivors. This is the centre of what is being worked on. I have provided updates today about the Children's Health Ireland inquiry into spina bifida, the complex scoliosis services scoping exercise, and the scoping exercise in response to requests from Dignity4Patients on behalf of victims and survivors of Michael Shine. The parents who have fought for improvements in scoliosis and spina bifida services have shown extraordinary strength and resilience.”
“I want to thank all the Senators who spoke so well tonight. As they stated, the concerns and issues that arise are something that the Department and the HSE are working on. The officials from the Department are here tonight. We will definitely come back to Senator Stephenson with answers to some of the questions she posed. In the context of Senators' contributions, the two scoping exercises are so important for all of us, for the families and everyone who has been affected and for the advocacy groups. I want to bring people back to the heart of why these procedures and this process matters. Behind every scoping exercise, inquiry, term of reference and statutory instrument, there are people whose lives have been deeply shaped by the events and system that we are examining.”
“Several initiatives are under way to help improve access to services including a ring-fenced theatre, additional outpatient clinics, outsourcing to maximise capacity and the enhancement of the transition pathways for patients from CHI to adult services. These initiatives have supported the completion of 534 paediatric spinal procedures in 2025, compared to 513 completed procedures in 2024, demonstrating an increase in activity and capacity. Over the same timeframe, a total of 524 procedures were added to the waiting list. Every effort is being made to reduce waiting times in the context of the rising demand. To close, I want to again acknowledge the courage of the children, parents, families and survivors whose experiences have brought us to this point. Their voices must remain central as this work continues.”
“I would also like to focus on the work the Minister has undertaken to address challenges families have faced in relation to paediatric orthopaedic services and spinal services in particular. This includes strengthening governance and oversight, driving down waiting times, ensuring increased engagement and timely communications with families of patients with a view to building a better and more responsive service. The Minister has held meetings with the HSE and the CHI board and executive and made it clear that everything possible must be done to reduce the amount of time children are waiting on procedures.”
“In accordance with these articles, the making of regulations under the Data Protection Act 2018, including sections 38(4)(b), 51(3) and 60(6), is necessary to give domestic legal effect to this basis, to ensure legal certainty and foreseeability, and to place appropriate safeguards on a statutory footing. No processing can commence until the necessary statutory framework is in place and any regulations have been made and commenced. Officials in the Department of Health have been working with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to draft these regulations. Consultations have also occurred with the Data Protection Commission and the Department of justice. I thank these three offices for their work and advice in getting these regulations to this point.”
“The final report and recommendations will be submitted to the Government to guide the development of an appropriate and bespoke response to the issues raised and the needs identified by Dignity4Patients. At the outset, I emphasised the paramount importance of the lived experiences of those affected to the work of both Mr. Farrell and Mr. Staines and that it is important that they get to engage with a number of patients, advocates and families and for them to have their voices heard. In order for this to happen, a lawful basis to process personal data for these exercises is required. This will allow the facilitators to conduct stakeholder engagement. It is intended to rely on Article 6(1)(e), Article 9(2)(1) and, in the case of the Dignity4Patients scoping exercise, Article 10 of the general data protection regulation.”
“He is widely recognised for his specialist work with victims and vulnerable witnesses, particularly in sensitive cases involving sexual violence and has advised both the Minister for justice and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on reforms to better protect people in the criminal process. Mr. Staines will fulfil his role as a facilitator through direct engagement with victims and survivors of Michael Shine, working alongside Dignity4Patients. Mr. Staines will receive all necessary supports to ensure that a victim-centred, trauma-informed and human rights-based approach underpins the scoping exercise and any subsequent statutory processes. The well-being of victims and survivors will be central throughout this process.”
“I would like to recognise the courage of the many individuals affected by Mr. Shine in continuing to seek justice for the very great wrongdoing that they suffered. On 26 November, the Government agreed that a timebound scoping exercise be undertaken by an independent person in response to requests from Dignity4Patients. The Minister appointed Mr. Lorcan Staines SC as the independent facilitator. Mr. Staines also commenced his work on 3 March and the exercise will run for up to 16 weeks. He has been finalising the terms of reference in direct consultation with Dignity4Patients. Mr. Staines has two decades’ experience in criminal, regulatory and administrative law.”
“Farrell is known for his expertise in complex legal matters, what is also needed here is his ability to approach sensitive issues with humanity and respect. I hope families will feel able to engage meaningfully with this process and I strongly encourage full engagement with Mr. Farrell. The lived experiences of children and families are vital to shaping an inquiry that truly reflects the needs and realities of the children and families affected. Once this scoping exercise is complete, further Government approval will be sought for the final terms of reference to a statutory process. This inquiry will form part of the wider reflection on paediatric services in CHI. I now want to turn to the scoping exercise in response to requests from Dignity4Patients on behalf of victims and survivors of Michael Shine.”
“Remy Farrell SC as the independent facilitator to conduct this scoping exercise. The exercise will run for up to 16 weeks from his commencement date, which was 3 March. It was on the Attorney General’s recommendations that the Minister appointed Mr. Farrell due to his appropriate stature, experience and willingness to undertake this role. This marks a significant and much anticipated step forward. I and the Minister are very pleased that this work is now under way. Mr. Farrell is a highly respected senior counsel with extensive experience in sensitive and complex matters. He will lead a structured programme of engagement designed to ensure that the voices of families are central to this process. While Mr.”