Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With no disrespect to my colleague, I am fully aware of that. What I am saying is that 25 years ago, we were able to deal with these issues effectively and we are no longer able to do so. We appear to be muscle-bound in the sense that we are spending more money per capita on health than many other countries in Europe and globally but we are not delivering. As a result, the quality of service is declining, public confidence in the system is waning and those at the coalface in the health service are being abused daily by virtue of the criticism directed at them for issues that are not their fault.

I do not intend to listen to the same story over and over again at meetings as I could be better occupied elsewhere. I ask that my questions be dealt with as a matter of urgency.