Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The guillotining of this Bill will significantly curtail the opportunity of Members to participate in important legislation in respect of the two key focuses, namely, the GP-only medical card proposal and the reintroduction of fees for nursing home patients. On Second Stage last night, I questioned the marriage of these two separate matters in the one Bill and that the measure is being rushed when we still have not seen the Government's proposals for the reimbursement of the illegal charges which were applied to long-stay residents in nursing homes over many years. The reimbursement plan must be expedited.

While Deputy Rabbitte has highlighted the Tánaiste's absence from the House, none of her Ministers of State attended for the greater part of the debate last evening. The Government presence in the House was a Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food. What does that say about the Department in respect of this legislation when neither the Tánaiste and Minster for Health and Children nor her Ministers of State attended the House over the period?

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