The Opposition fury over the issue – weeks after disturbing draft findings were leaked online – entered a second day in the Dáil.
The Social Democrats said it was ridiculous that letters were now being sent out over operations going back to 2010, but the Government could not say how many.
And Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed the Taoiseach had “misled the Dáil” by suggesting the letters had to do with routine follow-up.
She was supported by former Sinn Féin member, Peadar Tóibín of Aontú, who also called on Mr Martin to correct the record of the Dáil.
Ms McDonald said the letters specifically “refer to an early recommendation from the audit” and therefore had to do with what it was finding. Families were being put on notice.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – May 14th
Mr Martin suggested he had not seen such wording. Ms McDonald rejoined that she suspected the Taoiseach “knows the number” of additional letters sent out on foot of the audit window.
The Taoiseach said this was false, as Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said: “State the facts.”
Mr Martin responded: “Stop the politics.” He added: “Angry tactics is par for the course from you.”
But he added: “It’s horrendous if anything wrong was done.” Mr Martin said the Government was waiting for the audit report, which was “fairly imminent, I hope.”
He remarked: “I can’t force the pace.” Mr Martin also ridiculed the idea that the “number of these letters is they key to something – it isn’t.”
The audit was “a mission to find the facts,” he said, as to whether actions took place that were “untoward.”
Sinn Féin accused him of ignoring the fears of a growing number of families whose children had possibly unnecessary hip surgeries in Temple Street, Crumlin and Cappagh hospitals – and as far back as 2010.
Social Democrats stand-in Cian O’Callaghan said claims that the audit was about to be delivered had been made 10 weeks ago, and parents of the children involved had received no further information.
“For months you repeated that same mantra, and again yesterday you refused to provide any timeline for the publication of this report. In fact, you bristled at the notion that you would even be asked the question,” said Mr O’Callaghan.
“The audit is independent, but that doesn’t mean that the Government should be totally in the dark about when parents are finally going to get some answers.
“It raises further questions about the Government’s competence and control of the scandal,” he added.
#force #pace #Taoiseach #Dáil #row #audit #report #childrens #hip #surgeries #enters #day
