Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

I was intrigued in listening to the Minister of State. I do not know what world he is living in but it does not appear to be the real world because what he is talking about does not make sense to me or anybody else in the House. It is obvious the Government wants to progress its agenda. By handing it over to the chief executive officers for the next six months, it believes it can achieve this. How else will it implement the changes recommended in the Hanly report? The impediment to cutting services even more is that the annual budgets would have to be accepted and passed by the members of the health boards. The Minister had trouble from members in accepting major cutbacks and does not want any more of this. He wants to fast-track all decisions. One will see parallels in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government where the Government wishes to bypass the democratic right of the people to have a say in matters. I agree that it appears that the Fianna Fáil Party is not interested in what the people have to say, which is regrettable.

Let us consider all of the services the local hospitals in Bantry, Mallow, Tralee, Ballinasloe, Letterkenny, Cavan, Wexford, Naas, Blanchardstown and so on will lose. What will be put in place to redress the democratic deficit? The Government refers to a complaints procedure but I guarantee it will take rooms to house the complaints that will not be answered. As regards the forum, suggested in the Prospectus report, the regional health authority of elected representatives will just be a nodding session where members will be tolerated for a certain period on a limited number of occasions in the year and that will be it. Politicians will have no meaningful input.

Matters will be no different at Oireachtas committees. The Minister was due to appear before the Joint Committee on Health and Children to discuss the report on radiotherapy services but he did not attend. He has been hounded to appear before the committee during the past year but has used every single dodge in the book. He is avoiding the people. If he did not appear before a joint committee to hear members express their concerns on the report on radiotherapy services, is he interested in listening to them? We know from the report issued today that the people must accept an inferior service. It appears that the Minister is being advised by his officials not to engage and listen to Members. I advise him that he will pay a very heavy price because one cannot deny democracy.

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