Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I object to the guillotining of the Second Stage of the Health Bill on Friday. I do not know whether it is an accident or can be attributed to the change in Chief Whip, but there have been very few votes on the Order of Business in this sitting. This is because there has been an acceptance by the Government that guillotines are not appropriate and are not acceptable to the House, particularly of substantial and substantive legislation such as the Health Bill. The Bill is the wrong remedy for the wrong problem because it seeks merely to make bureaucratic changes to the health service and does not deal with the real reforms the public need and for which they are crying out.

I join colleagues in opposing the Order of Business as presented. The Government is reintroducing the guillotine and making a totally inappropriate proposal.

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