Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As usual in the Seanad, I get so engrossed in listening to the debate as it goes backwards and forwards, I forget it is my turn to speak next. I thank those who contributed to the passage of this Bill. I know it is not quite there yet but I thank everyone involved. It is important to thank Senator Crown and comment on Senator Barrett's contribution because it is hugely important that we have opposing views when it comes to legislation.

In response to Senator Barrett, the only time I have ever been threatened with jail was when I was taken to the High Court by the Irish Dental Association. It was a long time ago. Senator Bacik is trying to look up exactly what year it was. So much happened in my busy life that I can never recall dates. It basically concerned the introduction of free dental care for the spouses of people who were PRSI contributors. The Irish Dental Association issued a statement to say that we were now going to introduce free dental care for the well-heeled and articulate. Do Members remember it? While I will not say I was inarticulate, I was definitely not well-heeled at the time. I thought that it was the greatest insult because the well-heeled and articulate make up very little of society, as do the very rich. It was very important that we extended it because means testing is a very blunt instrument. I agree that we must have an element of assessing means but there is a difference. The only people I know who will benefit from this are those of quite limited means. They may be working. Both parents may be working but it is the most expensive time in a child's life. Amazingly, once children reach the age of five, the ear aches, the sudden rise in temperatures, the coughs and the fright of them waking up during up the night with a massive temperature seem to dissipate and they become healthier and able to access the world and their friends in a much easier way.

This Bill will take that worry away from an enormous number of families, which is what we really need to do. I understand Senator Barrett's concerns. He is right. It would be lovely if we were doing this in a time of plenty where one could introduce it in one fell swoop but what we are doing here has to be done on an incremental basis. Those over 70 and those under the age of five are at times of their lives where they need additional health care and it is these areas on which we need to concentrate. It is not as if this Government is saying that it is giving them €1,000 each and telling them to access their own health care. We are doing it in a very conservative way.

In response to Senator Crown, the IMO is in regular discussions with the Department of Health and my information is that it is going very well. As someone who has had regular enough contact with GPs, not just my own but those who I know as friends, I must say to the Senator that we cannot carry out any reform relating to primary care without GPs. They will be key to the Government's reform policy. I think the Senator is right. It was the former Minister, Deputy Reilly, who started this entire discussion and brought to us the challenges that may arise as a result of introducing it. We owe him a debt of gratitude for that because perhaps all of the heavy lifting is done and because the fact that he pointed out the obstacles and the opposition when it arose was hugely important for those of us who will build on what he has done because that is really what it is about. We are not starting from a greenfield space here. We are building on what others have contributed. This piece of legislation will make an enormous difference to both working people and unemployed people in respect of their children and the fear of not having sufficient money to go to a GP when they feel their child needs to be seen by a professional. GPs by their very nature will be central to that and must be part of it. The Senator can take my word for it that this will be a partnership approach. I could not agree more with the Senator regarding the gagging clause. Does he know any GP or doctor who when they see something going wrong would not feel obliged to speak out? Of course, they would. It is part of what they are. It is their duty but I would expect that they would not bring the organisation charged with delivering the health service into disrepute and I think the Senator and I would agree on that. However, I do not expect it to happen.

This is the first step in transforming primary care in this country and I believe it is a significant step. I compliment my predecessor in this role, Deputy White, for bringing it this far and for ensuring that the IMO and the various organisations that represent the medical profession are now at the table. I have no doubt that there is a solution to all of this. I believe there is a solution to everything. We just have not found it yet. I believe they are now in negotiations and that those negotiations will be successful because without them, we cannot do it.

I thank each and every Member for their contributions. I know Senator Barrett is still not convinced. I am sure that if in ten years time, he is right, he will come back and tell us. It is the first step in making us fall in line with what the rest of Europe has.