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

We are all pursuing the same objective. We are trying to get a system that works seamlessly, flawlessly and smoothly from the patient's point of view. What we deliver has to be from the patient's point of view. If we do not deliver that, we are not successful. Incidentally - it is not fundamental to this argument - politicians have not been recompensed following the cuts nor should they be. It could be said in certain quarters that they were overpaid at certain levels. I do not want to go down that road, it is not a good argument. I will put it that way. New politicians have been paid the same as always but older politicians with longer years of service, like civil servants, GPs and various other people, have had their increments abolished. I am not making an argument about that.