Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

This is the eighth year of the Taoiseach's leadership and he keeps reeling off these figures like they represent some kind of improvement. The Tánaiste had promised significant improvement by this autumn. From what she said today, we know that such is not the case. I do not know whether the Taoiseach is right in saying that the Tánaiste had already given out the figures I quoted, but they were in The Irish Times this morning. They highlighted the lack of progress made.

I must ask the question again. How many acute beds have become available as a result of the implementation of the ten-point programme? Now that the HSE is established, will there be a pattern of a washing of hands, avoiding political accountability and political responsibility? When asked about this in the Irish Examiner, the Taoiseach responded:

The consultants up there in Monaghan, the medics, are fairly exhausted with all this and I just hope in the context of this, the HSE not only have an inquiry into the circumstances, but that they try to improve the situation.

We keep on putting in money. Every time I go back there I make another announcement about more resources, then I keep hearing that they're caught up with all these protocols tied into their physicians and surgeons.

What does that mean if it is not a passing of the buck by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Government to the HSE? Meanwhile, Professor Drumm has been announcing policy initiatives, which I thought was the responsibility of the Minister.

No one knows where they stand in the north east, with all the chopping and changing that has gone on over 20 years. If the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children insists, as a matter of protocol, that no emergency surgical procedures be available before or after 5 p.m. in Monaghan General Hospital, surely it is imperative that such a facility be available nearby. How is it that the adjacent hospitals can refuse a patient? I point out to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that it is not a matter for smiling.

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