Paul Murphy demands publication of Niagam report on Conor Green
Paul Murphy challenged officials over Conor Green, the surgeon he said inserted non-medical springs into children at Temple Street and who is the subject of the Niagam report, asking whether the State will contest an injunction to block its publication. He also questioned why the subsequent look-back review excludes adult patients and raised concerns about the surgeon's licence to practise in Maryland and the Medical Council's role.
Niagam report and injunction
Murphy asked whether the State is contesting an injunction that he understands Dr Green is seeking to prevent publication of the Niagam report, which recommended that two-thirds of the children reviewed now need follow-up clinical review.
Exclusion of adults from look-back review
He pressed why the look-back review, which flows from the Niagam report, is excluding adult patients despite Dr Green having had a substantial adult practice and reports of significant complications from former adult patients.
Maryland licence and Medical Council oversight
Murphy queried how Dr Green obtained a licence to practise in Maryland, noting the Medical Council said it did not issue any certificate of good standing. He asked whether the HSE had contacted counterparts in Maryland to warn them and explain the surgeon is under investigation by the Medical Council.
Government response and legal limits
Officials interrupted the questions and said the matters were before the courts and could not be fully commented on. The government representative said they want to see reports published and transparency where legally possible, and indicated broader inquiries into CHI specialties could be helpful while legal realities are worked through by the Minister for Health.
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When I asked the Tanishta about Conor Green, the surgeon responsible for inserting non-medical springs into children in Temple Street, he is also the subject of the Niagam report, which recommended that two-thirds of the children that they looked at now need to have follow-up clinical review. I understand that he is seeking an injunction to prevent the publication of the Niagam report. Can I ask if the State is contesting that and seeking to publish the report? Secondly, can I ask why the look-back review, which flows from the Niagam report, is excluding adult patients? Dr Green had a substantial adult practice, and very many of them have had significant complications, including at least one person who has been in touch with me. And finally, I want to ask about the fact that he has a licence to practice in Maryland. How he got that isn't exactly clear, because the Medical Council has said that they did not issue any certificate of good standing for him. Deputy Murphy, you should not go there, please. You're out of order. Has the HSE contacted their counterparts in Maryland to warn them about this surgeon, to explain that he is currently under investigation by the Medical Council? You should conclude, Deputy Murphy. I do not have to tell you honestly that if the matter is in the courts or in line in the comments. So, I mean, as matters are before the courts, I mean, I accept Deputy Murphy uses all privilege as his right, but because matters are before the courts, I am not in a position to comment further, other than to say the government's position in general, is wanting to see, as all reports published and be transparent in relation to this, and the legal realities as to what's possible to publish or not, are matters for the Minister for Health to work through as she is. And we also obviously want to see a broader inquiry into the workings of a number of issues in relation to CHI in certain specialties. And I think a lot of this work could be helpful to any such inquiry, too. But these are matters for the courts to determine. Thank you.
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