Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I am not sure the Taoiseach appreciates the urgency of this matter. Whether the report and the target date of 2011 seemed fine, the date is not fine now. When the Taoiseach refers to private nursing homes, which seem to be seen as some form of panacea, does he not realise that 20 people were waiting for beds in the Mater Hospital just one hour ago? Some have been waiting since last Thursday. One lady has waited since 10.15 a.m. on Saturday. Her doctor stated his hands were tied, that he could not treat her in casualty and that she needed a bed on his ward. Fortunately, she got a bed approximately one hour ago after waiting all weekend.

Regarding private nursing homes, I have a reply to a question to the Minister for Finance about the introduction in the Finance Act 2001 of capital allowances in respect of capital expenditure on private hospitals. We asked how much money is involved and the reply was that the Revenue Commissioners state that tax relief for such schemes is not at present captured in any way as to provide a specific basis for compiling Estimates of cost to the Exchequer. Effectively, the Government is talking about pennies for the public sector and for beds in hospitals but it cannot say how much money is spent on tax breaks for individuals who will become rich out of the misfortunes and illness of others. Will the Taoiseach get the figures so that we can calculate the extent to which the Government has abandoned the health service in the interests of people who want to benefit and profiteer from it?

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