Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The Taoiseach has given a good illustration of the reason we must reform the procedures in this House. He does not answer the questions put to him and that is the case in regard to the question I asked about the resources needed for staffing at St. Vincent's Hospital. He did not even mention the cap on recruitment, the one specific point on which I requested a response apart from the general questions I put. I ask him again to address the minor consideration of allowing for the recruitment of permanent staff, even though the paltry funding of €300,000 is far short of the €8 million the hospital requires to provide these services. If he were to deal even with this matter, it would be some small progress.

Does the Taoiseach recognise, despite all his claims that this state is the best and provides a wonderful service, that Ireland is a disgrace internationally in this area? We are the worst in the world in terms of mortality from cystic fibrosis. A staffing level of 175 is required but only 40 are provided and 3.3 consultants are appointed when 29 are needed. The estimated cost of providing the service is €9 million annually. The amount spent on cystic fibrosis is approximately the same as the overrun in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, money that is wasted. Can we save some of that money and give it to those who need it, those who, because of Government policy, are dying an average of ten years' earlier than sufferers in other parts of the world?

See this speech in context