Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In the last sentence of his speech, he said, "It gives me great pleasure today to launch the Irish national health services portal which can be seen at the stand behind you." The Department of Health and Children followed up this launch by confirming in the document Health Information National Strategy, published in July 2004, that the portal was by then up and running.

The only problem is that the portal is not up and running. Unfortunately, the portal cannot be seen at the stand behind the Tánaiste or anywhere else because it does not exist. It is not there, it has disappeared and it is an ex-portal. The portal which was created by the press launch of the then Minister, Deputy Martin, has disappeared into the same black hole as e-voting, PPARS, the civic hub, Punchestown and all the others.

This photocall, which was staged in Cork during the European Ministers' meeting at a cost of €3 million, must be the most expensive in the history of the State. Not only has the portal disappeared but the HSE has re-tendered for a new job, called the unified website, which has all the characteristics of the last portal.

See this speech in context