Tá sé dochreidte an méid atá laistigh den tuarascáil seo, go raibh dochtúir ann a bhí sásta springs den saghas seo a cheadú in obráid do leanaí. Ní raibh aon cheadúnas ann. Tá sé dochreidte an méid atá tar éis tarlú. My thoughts are with the families, the three children and the trauma they have gone and are going through. It is beyond comprehension that springs which are not permitted were used in surgery. The consultant concerned used springs that were not CE marked. That is the fundamental issue here. Then there is the culture within the hospital that facilitated that. There are procedures but they were not followed, either in the procurement of or the use of these springs or in terms of any ethical considerations. This was not put before any ethical research committee. For example, if a consultant wants to engage in innovation and research regarding techniques around particular surgeries or difficult surgeries, normally that would go through an ethics committee within the hospital. That did not happen here either. This matter was raised in a parliamentary question to the Minister of the day by Deputy Murphy and an inquiry was established. That is why the Health Information Quality Authority, HIQA, was established. I established that many years ago to make sure there was an external independent body to investigate and to ensure quality within our healthcare setting. Let us be very clear. I understand where the Deputy is going in terms of wanting to say it is ultimately the Government's fault. There is a limit to what anyone in this House can do in terms of how people conduct procedures in operating theatres. Let us call a spade a spade here. We can be political about these matters but there are fundamental issues here that happened and should not have happened. There has to be individual responsibility. There has to be accountability in that respect. There has to be management accountability in terms of CHI and the board and so on, why the governance procedures were not followed and why they were essentially bypassed. All of the recommendations will be implemented. I note that the chairperson, who has been in place since 2013, has tendered his resignation. The Minister will first ensure the implementation of the different sets of recommendations for the CHI, the nine recommendations for the HSE and the one recommendation for all services providers and all hospitals throughout the country. She will also, over time, evaluate structures in regard to these issues. Equally, it has to be said that much progress has been made on the other side. No one wants to hear that today but very substantial focus has also been made on a number of fronts. In regard to Daniel Collins, my understanding is that the clinical team is engaging with him and the family in respect of his situation. I am not at liberty to go into too much detail on that. However, it is my understanding that there is engagement with the clinical team. It will decide about the clinical decision-making around Daniel's particular case.

Sentiment score: 0.12

If I want to be blunt about it, it actually is fundamentally about decision-making within the hospital setting and within the operating theatre. Too often within this House and across the political world, we immediately go to the political domain. There comes a time when we equally have to stand up for what is right and proper, and I know the Deputy wants to, but let us call a spade a spade here. What happened should not have happened. An individual decision was taken to use springs that should not have been used on any child. We are almost the biggest medical device manufacturer in the world and Europe. There are set procedures and quality controls over medical devices that go into any patient. The idea that one would use springs outside that entire protection framework is beyond belief and responsibility lies with the individual in the first instance.

Sentiment score: -0.04

People talk about well wishing. It is as plain as night follows day. One does not use unauthorised devices on any child. That is at the heart of it.

Sentiment score: 0.11

First, I want to join with the Deputy in expressing our very best wishes to Deputy Boyd Barrett as he goes through treatment. We have had many a good joust in the House-----

Sentiment score: 0.64

----- as has the Deputy, as she says - and his voice will be missed over the next couple of weeks. We wish him the very best in the treatment he is about to go through and we wish him a full recovery. There is some distance to travel here yet on the issue of tariffs and trade wars. It is very serious and grave. The initial focus has to be on whether we can get this onto a negotiation pathway. The Deputy correctly said that issues have been raised around non-tariff barriers. The US has a list of what it perceives to be non-tariff barriers in relation to the entry of US goods - chlorinated chicken or whatever - into the European Union. Likewise, the European Union has a list of similar non-tariff barriers that impact on EU goods getting into the US. In some respects, in raising that issue there may be an opportunity in it. Europe is clear that it is willing to negotiate both the tariff issue but also non-tariff issues in respect of complaints that both sides have about the other. The European response has been a measured one designed to endeavour to get negotiations under way. Before we consider any interventions, or whatever, we must give that opportunity to negotiate in the first instance. The European response in respect of the steel and aluminium tariffs that were imposed by the US has now been published. The earlier list is one that had been there, to be fair, in an earlier era when the older tariffs had been levied. They then had been lifted by both the Biden Administration and the EU. They were automatically published again and lifted. Now there is a new set. It takes out bourbon which is some positive news for spirits and wine and also dairy products. Of course they are still subject to tariffs and we want to get to a position where we can get zero-to-zero tariff arrangements between the European Union and the US and likewise, if we can get a negotiation pathway on non-tariff barriers and any other issues that may be out there and are out there. That is our approach so far. I spent the last week talking to multinational companies, including medtech companies, on how they see it. They broadly endorse the approach. They do not want escalation. Many of them will be impacted by this in the medium to longer term. There is no doubt that investment decisions are being paused but people are not as yet being laid off, or anything like that, in pharma or medtech.

Sentiment score: 0.11

Whatever we do has to be financially sustainable over the long term. It is just far too early to be venturing anything on that front just yet. This is not the same as Covid-19, as the Deputy has acknowledged. Therefore, our response has to be one that is sustainable, but also we must have some sense of where this is going to settle, if indeed it settles at all. I believe it will in time and we will be in a better position to evaluate what the optimal response will be. If it does not settle and this tariff war continues, that will have implications on everything, including the public finances. We have to be careful in terms of how we proceed so that anything we do is financially and economically sustainable into the future. We need resources to diversify markets. We need resources to invest more in innovation and research. There are things we can do. Investing in infrastructure, for example, is key, and so on.

Sentiment score: 0.06

I condemn without reservation the attacks by the IDF on Gaza, the bombing and the continuing slaughter within Gaza, in particular the murder of emergency responders that the Deputy has referenced. That has been confirmed, essentially, in terms of what happened on 23 March, in terms of 15 emergency responders being murdered. I say that without hesitation. It is quite shocking that something of this kind could happen. I note that the nature of the investigation is now changing. It is absolutely unacceptable and I agree with the UN human rights chief that there must be an independent, prompt and thorough investigation into the killings and that those responsible for any violation of international law must be held to account. Ireland has bilaterally and multilaterally repeatedly called on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law to include international humanitarian law. I have condemned the air strikes. I have always been clear about air strikes which kill innocent people and children. The number of children killed in Gaza is absolutely shocking and beyond any moral compass. The people of Gaza have endured unbelievable hardships and there should be an urgent end to all hostilities. Hamas should stop firing rockets, should disengage and should release all hostages. Hamas has brought misery on its own people also. What Hamas did on 7 October was unforgivable and is equally to be condemned. The release of hostages could be a catalyst. There is no justification for any of this in my view. The remaining hostages should be released. What they have gone through is absolutely shocking as well. If one recalls, many of these hostages were attending concerts or were going about their daily lives and they were abducted. The level of hate across the region now is such that it is making, and will make, any potential reconciliation pathway almost impossible but we cannot give up hope. We and the international community need to focus on getting a ceasefire established and restored with a view to getting the hostages released and some pathway to peace along the lines of what the Arab nations have put together in terms of a peace pathway or process.

Sentiment score: -0.32

I will make three points in response to what Deputy O'Callaghan made reference to earlier. On overflights, there are set regulations and legislation governing that. I will ask the Minister for Transport to again pursue the issue the Deputy has raised with regard to Lufthansa. We cannot physically stop planes but we can certainly take actions subsequently. There are no planes landing at Shannon with weapons for Gaza. People should not be referencing that casually as if it is a fact; it is not. It is just not happening. We need to ground everything we say on truth, accuracy and precision. This line gets trotted out about Shannon Airport and Gaza wrongly and falsely. Equally, Deputy O'Callaghan mentioned in passing about strip searching and so on. I know the Minister for Justice has pursued this with the Garda Commissioner. I have asked the Minister for Justice for the most up-to-date reports. The issue of strip searching is being strenuously denied by An Garda Síochána. From what I understand, An Garda Síochána would take strong issue with what was asserted in the House last week in respect of that. I must put that on the record. I will pursue the first issue with regard to the overflights, which is problematic for us. People normally alert us in advance. If they do not, they are breaking the law.

Sentiment score: 0.09

I thank Deputy Collins very much for raising the issue, which is of grave concern to those who have been depleted of their resources. Towards the end of his contribution Deputy Collins, in some respect, provided the answer. The Central Bank is responsible for the regulation of financial advisers. I do not know whether this person was registered with the Central Bank in the first instance. Perhaps Deputy Collins might confirm this in his supplementary question. Any individual can search the Central Bank register to get a list of providers who operate in Ireland and are authorised by the Central Bank. Before anyone makes an investment they should first check the Central Bank register. The other key protection is the consumer protection code. The Central Bank has just finalised a review of consumer protection in Ireland and the code itself. The review will come into effect in 12 months' time. It is about consumer interests, consumer rights and consumer protection. The Central Bank does issue warning notices on firms that are not authorised to provide such services and more up-to-date information on scams. We also have the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which publishes information on how to choose an adviser and the types of services and investments they can provide. There is a broader issue of financial literacy. It has amazed me at times how people trust their money to people who do not necessarily have a track record, and they never get their money back. How people unfortunately get conned by people of this kind has always been something that amazes me, to be frank. I am not clear where the financial ombudsman is in this regard. Deputy Collins said it has been referred to the ombudsman and An Garda Síochána. These investigations should happen and should take their course. That is the right thing to do. With regard to the Central Bank, it is responsible. If complaints have been made, the Central Bank will advise people in respect of any particular rogue investor or someone who is scamming people. Above all, the Garda should investigate, and probably is investigating this case, with a view to seeking redress and perhaps dealing with the person involved.

Sentiment score: 0.08

I will indeed. I might discuss it with the Deputy if he has case studies that he can bring to our attention. I will also talk to the Minister for Finance, who I think will be happy to engage, because it is awful for this to happen to anybody. There is the old adage that if it is too good to be true, then it is too good to be true, in terms of potential returns from investments. That said, the Central Bank publishes warning notices about unauthorised firms as well as a list of them. People should only engage with registered brokers. I do not know whether this person was a registered broker. There may be an issue about who does the inspections and so on. The Deputy has raised the prospect of an inspectorial regime, but fundamentally An Garda has to pursue this.

Sentiment score: 0.20