Mr. Fintan Hourihan:

Many patients and many members of the association would say we have not been very effective if it has persisted and declined as much as it has in the last while. However, I can assure the Deputy - and I have appeared before him and many of his colleagues before on other occasions - that we believe we have been very consistent, vocal and clear in presenting our concerns but really there has been a lack of urgency within successive Administrations.

We had the same problem with previous Governments, which we find very difficult to comprehend.