Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I want to comment on this important debate. I listened with incredulity to the comments of members on the Government side. It is clear they have been too long in Government. They have no notion of the public attitude and anger to the profligacy that is now the hallmark of the way the Government conducts its business. Waste is of no importance. We saw this attitude displayed again by the Minister, Deputy Dempsey. His response was effectively to say "so what" and on other issues "aren't we able to do it and isn't there pucks of money anyway." That is the subliminal message. It is the grossest of all ironies that the partner in Government is the Progressive Democrats whose reputation was made on the notion of fiscal rectitude and minding the public purse. It is a partner in this profligate Government that has no regard for the public purse or public money.

What has angered people who are struggling to cope with everyday living, particularly in an area such as health, is that the Government promised faithfully 30,000 additional full medical cards, but not one of those has been delivered. Fewer people now have a medical card than the number who had a medical card prior to the last election. The Government promised 100,000 doctor only cards, but again due to the Government's incompetence in the delivery system the announcements are made——

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