Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I thank my Independent colleagues for this timely debate, particularly in light of the ESRI study which has so trenchantly criticised the health service. We wish the new Minister for Health and Children well in tackling the challenges she faces. However, notwithstanding her fine words about the heath service being accessible to every citizen regardless of wealth, she has a number of fears to allay. One of the issues behind this motion is whether the Minister meant to say that the health service should be accessible to every citizen regardless of geography. That is an issue about which every Member of the House regularly receives representations, particularly with regard to the lack of progress in providing radiotherapy services and funding for designated oncology units for regional cancer centres. This issue is in my mind because last week I lost an uncle to cancer. He happened to be living within walking distance, if he could have walked, of the Mater Hospital. As such, the issue of radiotherapy was not one about which he had to worry, although because he was so ill he chose not to avail of the treatment.

Having visited Waterford and other areas around the country, however, I understand the trauma and pain involved for many people who must travel to Dublin hospitals for radiotherapy. It is something that no Government can ignore. I hope this debate will provoke action to provide extra radiotherapy services. Currently, enormous suffering is caused due to the inequitable nature of the service throughout the country.

There is an additional fear based on the Minister's appointment, given that while she is the Leader of the Progressive Democrats Party, many of the areas affected by the Hanly report are not represented by Progressive Democrats Deputies or Senators.

I spoke tonight to people in Ennis who fear that, whatever about the former Minister, Deputy Martin, having local representatives in the area, the Minister, Deputy Harney, may need to act swiftly to reassure local communities who have invested a considerable amount of time and money getting a professional critique for the Hanly proposals. They want assurance from the Minister that she will give due consideration to these proposals and meet with the people who are seeking to have the professional critique presented to Government. It is exasperating that €20 million was earmarked for hospitals such as Ennis Hospital over a ten year period and each time questions are asked about where the money is, there is talk about a design phase or another phase and that the money is on the way. This indicates a lack of commitment to providing the service.

Areas like Balbriggan in north County Dublin, where the population has grown from 10,000 to more than 30,000, has no out-of-hours service. Ultimately, we are dealing with a country in which health has become a by-word for absolute exasperation, frustration and suffering. While the Government gives assurances in words, we need action, which we are not getting at present. There is not even an approach being taken which will ensure there is a healthier society.

The former Minister, Deputy Martin, let the cat out of the bag when he was on the rack over waiting lists. He said he can do little about it if people are getting sicker and there is more demand on the health services such as they are. This indicates the need to examine the Green Party's health proposals, which are about preventative as well as curative solutions. Money is not being spent on preventatives measures. Billions of euro are being spent annually on new drugs and medical technologies while very little is being spent on basic medicines, even hospital infection control, which would save a much greater number of lives than the drug applications. There is need for a holistic health service. When I look at the track record of the Minister, Deputy Harney, I see someone who has espoused market forces as the solution to almost everything. The health service is certainly an example of where market forces have not made us healthier. They have, in fact, made us sicker and we are becoming a very obese nation. Obesity gives rise to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and so many other health problems, and an examination of what is becoming an obeseogenic environment should be at the heart of our health strategy. All I see currently is panic to try to come to terms with promises made at election time but which have been broken. We need a health strategy which will ensure healthy people rather than just treating sickness.

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