Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

We are very short on time. I will not refer to the position in Monaghan because there are others who can do so.

The Minister of State is perpetuating double-think. On the one hand, he has said the Bill is about bringing the health boards to an end — on which we are all agreed — and that the amendments go against the principle of the Bill. On the other, he continues to restate the publicly stated view of the Minister that he will introduce systems of accountability. He cannot have it both ways. The Bill is about bringing the health boards to an end.

We are concerned about the lack of accountability. We are concerned that Fianna Fáil does not trust the people and their representatives and wants rid of them. All the flimflam about accountability is designed to cover up the fact that the people cannot be trusted. They certainly cannot be trusted where the Government intends to downgrade local hospitals, close accident and emergency departments, as spelled out in the Hanly report——

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