Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

It is a solid proposal to increase bed capacity in the hospital and it seeks to ensure that public patients have access to the public beds in the hospital. It will also ensure that the private beds will also be available for public patients. It is worthy of examination. I am very concerned that the principal finance spokesperson, whom I had hoped would be eligible to be Minister of Finance in a future rainbow Government, is so dismissive of our proposal, which represents value for money to the Exchequer and the taxpayer.

See this speech in context