Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry to come back on the task force issue, but in fairness, witnesses came in this morning with a very structured set of recommendations. One of the important things about meetings and public hearings such as this is to ensure we get something out of them and follow through. I accept fully that a great deal of work has been done by both the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health on this area. However, a complaint I have about a different area in the Department of Health involves nursing homes and home care, where there has been a failure to get everyone to sit around the table at the same time. It is fine to have the GAA come in and meet the Department of Health or the Department of Education and Skills, but they are doing so on a one-to-one basis. By getting everyone around the table, which is the advantage of a task force, everyone's view is out there at the same time and it is possible to come forward with a far more comprehensive solution. I wonder if their proposals and recommendations will be given serious consideration.