Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
6. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health her views on whether gender-based violence should be ground for disqualification of a medical professional; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17502/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question of gender-based violence and the medical profession arose last year when a doctor, Christopher Morris, who had been convicted of assaulting two women was appointed as a locum consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology in the Coombe Hospital. Staff contacted me about that. It has now come up again as the result of what has happened in UCD. Thousands marched yesterday in support of a medical student who was raped and who had image-based sexual abuse committed against her on three occasions. The college and the school of medicine has clearly not acted property to deal with this situation.
I acknowledge that was a truly shocking case but I must be careful not to speak about individual cases in too much detail as it is a very sensitive matter. However, that does not mean I am not deeply concerned by it. I can say that the Medical Council is aware of that case and is actively engaging with the associated parties to get more information. The Medical Council has a responsibility to ensure that everybody in the doctor profession, including those in the UCD medical school, meet the required standards for medical education. I expect the Medical Council to make full use of its powers under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 with regard to accreditation and inspection of all training sites. I have asked my officials to engage with the Medical Council in this regard.
Gender-based violence anywhere is completely unacceptable. I know I do not need to say that to Deputy Coppinger any more than she needs to say it to me. We are entirely in agreement, as is every person in this House. I can unequivocally state that incidents of gender-based violence are unacceptable in any context and must be reported to An Garda Síochána. If any such incidents occur in the health sector and involve medical practitioners, they should also be reported to the Medical Council, which exists for the purposes of patient safety. The idea of a medical practitioner of any kind doing harm to any person, particularly a woman, is anathema to all of us and does not bear thinking about.
Yesterday, we had statements in the Dáil on the establishment of an inquiry for the male victims of Michael Shine right across Louth and Meath. We know about hundreds of such men and I suspect there are many hundreds of others we do not know about. We spoke about the impact it had on their lives to have a sexual offence perpetrated against them within the trusting relationship between doctor and patient. Gender-based violence, like any form of sexual violence, is totally unacceptable in the medical profession and healthcare settings, as it is anywhere else.
Yesterday's protest was historic. Thousands of students reaffirmed our faith in the young generation. A key question that came up during that protest was whether UCD will do everything in its power to ensure this medical student can complete her medical degree within her original timeline or as close as possible to it rather than being forced to spend years longer in college because of the perpetrator's actions. She wants to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. I ask the Minister to intervene to ensure this can happen. The whole country is standing behind this student. The question is whether UCD will do so. I ask the Minister to use her influence with the school of medicine. We will raise the issue of what happened but let us now look at the future. Can we rescue this situation for her and do everything possible to ensure she can become a doctor not years later, but as soon as possible?
I know UCD and its president, Orla Feely. It is a university led by a woman. That is a difficult position to achieve no matter what year we have reached. I know this medical student will have Professor Feely's full support. I will not speak about the particulars of courses, modules and all of those things I do not know about.
It would be wrong of me to pretend I do, but I certainly know UCD will put its full support behind this young woman to give her the best opportunity to succeed in her course, as she or anybody is entitled to do. I have never lost faith in the younger generation's clarity around values or the way they articulate those values and support each other. The protest was a demonstration of solidarity across the medical training community and beyond. It was a statement against gender-based violence in any context and in support of a vulnerable woman who should not have to deal with this.
Unfortunately, just because women are in certain positions it does not mean all of these questions are dealt with properly. I will not personalise it or mention names but we would not be here if UCD's leadership and school of medicine had handled the situation correctly in the first place. There is a problematic culture there and I ask the Minister to be open to that. As late as yesterday, the dean of the school of medicine sent an email to medical students telling them to be very careful because there was going to be a protest against gendered violence and providing an emergency number they could ring. How tone-deaf is that? The protest was against violence, against a rapist in their midst and against image-based sexual abuse. I saw that image. I had to look at it to verify all the facts. I saw the comments that went with it. They were utterly scary and sickening. People studying medicine potentially had a role in that. The rapist took so much from this person. The school of medicine and UCD should not take the rest. Let her complete her degree and please assist her in that.
I thank the Deputy. I have not seen the email she referred to so am at a disadvantage in relation to that.
It is on my Instagram.
Okay, but I do not follow your Instagram, if you will forgive me. I deleted it from my phone and do not have access to it so cannot speak to that with the knowledge the Deputy has of yesterday's email or any of those things. What I can simply say again and again is gender-based violence is wrong and the way we handle it is very important. Incidents should be reported to An Garda Síochána, to the Medical Council in cases relating to the doctor's profession and to the NMBI in respect of nurses.
This House made a clear statement yesterday acknowledging that sexual and gender-based violence can happen within the medical profession as much as any other place, that nowhere is a perpetrator to be protected and that nowhere is a victim not to be heard. We said that loud and proud; certainly, these benches said it clearly yesterday.
