Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

We often refer in this House to programmes and quote what a member of the Government or the Opposition said. The Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis was held over the weekend. The Taoiseach appeared on a television programme on Sunday night but he did not appear to know much about what was happening with the health services in his own back yard. He was not sure what was happening with GP services or outpatients appointments in Beaumont Hospital or the Mater Hospital.

This morning, the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, and I were interviewed on local radio in Limerick and during the interview the Minister of State blamed the consultants for not negotiating their contract and thereby causing the crisis in the acute hospitals. He then went on to blame the general practitioners for holding up the doctor only medical card scheme and accused them of not being available out of hours in both Limerick and Dublin.

See this speech in context