Mark Dearey (Green Party)

I welcome this morning's encouraging announcement by the Irish Exporters Association of an increase in exports. They highlight that fact that, aside from the currency issue which is an assist, competitiveness has been cited as one of the key reasons our exports are growing. We are regaining the competitiveness that we lost during the good times. We are also regaining our focus as a nation which does well when it trades with the rest of the world. In other words, we are regaining our focus on what is often called the smart economy. We are losing our unfortunate addiction to construction which accounted for 24% of all economic activity during the boom. This has been a painful rebalancing and it will take a long time for all sectors of the economy to follow the lead which the export sector has provided. However, we should take encouragement from this, learn lessons from it and understand broadband speeds and connections, the numbers of which have increased twofold in the past three years, and such initiatives are helping make the smart economy a reality and create job opportunities throughout the country.

I raise the issue highlighted in today's edition of TheIrish Times regarding the shortage of non-consultant hospital doctors and the impact this is likely to have at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, in which, according to Dr. Staunton, the lead clinician in the department of anaesthesia, the shortage of anaesthetists has the potential to cause a collapse in the service. This is extremely serious. I call on the Leader to establish if the Minister for Health and Children could come to the House to clarify what exactly the HSE intends to do to tackle the looming crisis which will hit us from 1 January following the changeover of non-consultant hospital doctors. This is another example of where the HSE has failed to plan properly for the impact its strategies will inevitably have and calls into question its ability to plan strategically. I wish to hear the Minister's comments on the issue and the more acute issue of the impact on anaesthesia services in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.