Health Service Executive Director General Tony O'Brien has apologised for a controversial health service memo which suggested minimal force could be used to remove patients from hospital beds and also referred to them as "trespassers".
Mr O'Brien told the Oireachtas Health Committee that the HSE absolutely regretted any concern caused to staff or patients.
He said the memo should never have been distributed and was withdrawn two weeks ago by the person who had received it.
He said the reference to "minimal force" was not a suggestion that such an action should be used but a reference to the legal position.
He insisted there had never been and never would be a direction suggesting that minimal force should be used on patients.
The memo, he said, was prepared by the HSE's office of legal services at the request of staff who wished to know the legal position in relation to rare cases where a patient refused to move on following completion of acute care.
It was prepared for the HSE's Interim National Director Acute Services, Liam Woods, and was only shared by him with group chief executives.
Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly said the memo was disgraceful and she was outraged.
Minister for Health Simon Harris told the committee it was not the policy of the Irish health service to interact with patients in that way.
He said he made it clear to officials on 27 October, when he became aware of it, that it was unacceptable and he was assured it was rescinded the following day.
The minister said yesterday was an extremely bad day for the health service.
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